


Damaged Part 3: Legacy

by Alex_Frost



Series: Damaged [3]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-16
Updated: 2020-11-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:42:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 27,801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27586937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alex_Frost/pseuds/Alex_Frost
Summary: A new chapter begins for Mewtwo and his son. More Mewtwo's are found and Mewtwo finds a wife.
Relationships: Kojirou | James/Musashi | Jessie, Mewtwo/Mewtwo (Pokemon), Natsume | Sabrina/Sonezaki Masaki | Bill
Series: Damaged [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/898218
Kudos: 2





	1. Esper

_Why am I here?_

"Success again Dr. Blackwell." 

_Who am I?_

"I must have taken a long time to perfect her." 

_The last thing I remember… Running, ripping the armor off my body, his voice, his arms, pain, blackness..._

"Yes, success." Came a very sophisticated voice. "I didn't want to let such a beautiful design go to waste. Perfection, don't you think?" 

_Perfection?_

She could feel her body move. The warm liquid around her both seemed to cradle and hinder her. She lifted her arm, bringing vague memories of movement from the past. Her hand hit a smooth cool surface. _Glass..._ She remembered. _Where? Why?_

"Yes, perfection." 

_Pain… Blackness… Why am I here? I should be dead! I am dead aren't I? Is that why I've returned to this prison? Is that why..._ She remembered a huge white Mewtwo. _Why do I remember these things?_

"Good work Dr. Blackwell." It was a different voice. One that commanded respect and attention. 

"Hello Cassidy." Blackwell’s voice came again. There were a few shuffling noises, as well as something that sounded like papers rustling. "Here is the data, and here she is." 

She flinched as a hollow thunk echoed through the tank. It was a familiar sound, but the one she remembered was louder. 

"When she is ready, have her prepped and brought to me." Cassidy again. 

"That won't be long. As you can see, she is eager for life." 

"If that's true, I hope she will be as beneficial as you have promised." 

"Oh she will Cassidy." 

_Cassidy?_ An image came to her mind of a girl with blond hair. A small frail girl cowering under the gaze of a taller man. 

Dr Blackwell stood on the outside looking at the tank. Inside moving around was their new project. A light almost white Mewtwo with purple tips on her ears and feet. She looked back at her papers, then up at Cassidy. "As promised, you get to name her Boss." 

"Yes." Cassidy looked at the tank. "What was her old name?" 

"M93." 

"M93. No that won't do here." Cassidy thought for a moment, then knocked on the tank again.

The Mewtwo backed away from the glass. "Psychic powers… Psychic.. ESP…. Ah! Esper." 

"Esper?" 

"Yes. Project Esper." 

“Esper... Hmm.. It really suits her.” 

_Esper? Is that my name? M93… M93! Dr. Blackwell, Cassidy..._ Realization set in. _Kysuke Fuji! Sarah, Giovanni!… Mew2… The Pokemon League Games, that battle, his eyes… His touch..._

"I think this deserves a motto girls." Cassidy said with a laugh in her voice.   
  
_"To protect the world from Rocket Dan!  
To do the best in all we can!   
To the farthest reaches of the world we'll go!   
To protect our members above and below!   
Team Rocket!   
To fight even in our darkest hour!   
We are the best, we have the power!"   
  
Team Rocket? Cassidy? Dr Blackwell? Kysuke! How? Why am I still alive?!_

"She has very lovely eyes." Cassidy observed from outside the tank. 

"Yes. It took a long time to get that shade of violet." 

_My eyes? My eyes are open? Why can't I see?!_

"Complete perfection." 

_No._ Esper felt the glass on her back. _No I'm not perfect..._

"And if she wasn't perfect?" Cassidy asked. 

"I'd destroy her and start again." 

_Destroy me?_ Fear overcame her. _I'm blind, they can't know that, I can't let them know! I don't want to die again!_

"Are you going to let her out now?" 

"No, I'll wait a day. I want to ensure her perfection." 

_I don't want to die._   
  
******   
  
Esper heard and felt the two girls that had escorted her up the hall leave. The sound of a heavy door shutting came to her. Immediately she tried to break out of the armor containing her. 

_Who are you?_ Came a voice. It sounded sweet yet stern. 

Esper turned toward the sound. _They call me Esper.  
_

_I'm Candy. They call me that because I'm the same color as Rare Candy.  
_

_I wouldn't be able to tell._ Esper turned away. 

_What do you mean?_ Candy leaned over to get a better view of the new comer.   
Esper smelled her get closer, and tried to back away. 

_You're blind?_ Candy asked. 

_Yes._

Candy's voice was suddenly fearful. _If they find that out. You're dead._

_They won't find out. I can't let them find out._ Esper went back to her own thoughts. _Why can't I see? Why do I keep remembering him? Memories...  
_

_"Doctor! We're losing her!"  
_

_"She's expendable, get the baby."  
_

_Baby… I almost died then… They took him away._

Candy looked at the new arrival. _Hey? Are you okay?  
_

_No.  
_

_What's wrong?  
_

_I don't belong here._

Candy sighed. _If it makes you feel any better. I don't belong here either...none of us do._   
  
******   
  
The next few weeks were spent in the Pit. Esper became attuned to any sound and difference in her attacks. Cassidy and Blackwell were impressed that they even able to turn off the lights and Esper still put them all down. 

"I really must commend you Dr. Blackwell." Cassidy said with her arms folded. "You have made the perfect weapon." 

"Yes, but I'm curious. She acts differently than the others." 

"How so?" 

"Well, don't you think she act's just a bit too well in the dark?" 

"What are you getting at?" 

"I think her vision may be impaired." 

"Well, let's see." Cassidy hit an intercom button. "This exercise is over. Gayle, bring Esper here." 

"Yes Boss." 

The other Pokémon were brought back by their trainers. Esper followed Gayle's footsteps and scent. She stopped when Gayle did. 

"Come here Esper." 

Esper kept her gaze fixed in Cassidy's direction. She could smell the wine and perfume drifting off of her, and followed the scent. When she could feel Cassidy's presence, she stopped. There was another scent here. Like chemicals and light perfume… Dr Blackwell. 

"Hmmm." 

Esper could feel Cassidy's hand wave before her face. The perfume was almost sickening. _She knows, Or they suspect..._ The hand left. 

"Cassidy, forgive me, but what is that supposed to do?" 

"Well, you test her then Doctor." Cassidy stepped aside. 

Dr. Blackwell took a pen from her pocket. "Esper, focus." 

_Ink, a pen,.. light perfume, chemicals, ...Dr Blackwell._ Esper turned so it seemed she was looking at the pen. 

"Focus." She moved the pen to the right. Esper followed the movement of her hand. "Good."

Esper heard her move away, as if behind something, like a table. "Now which is farther away on the table?" 

Esper sniffed the air. _An apple, a few pencils, paper… A glass of wine, half empty. Some electronic device, and a bottle of perfume… Cassidy's_

"Well?" 

_Cassidy's Perfume._ She sent. 

"Very good." 

Esper felt relief overcome her. 

"That proves it then. Take her back." Cassidy sat down at the desk and watched them leave, then looked at the objects before her. "That's odd." She stood up then went around to the spot where Esper had been. _There is no way she could have seen the bottle. It's BEHIND my laptop._ "I'll be damned. She's blind."   
  
******   
  
A week later Candy and Esper were brought into Cassidy's office. The order had been given for them to be released. 

_Released? You mean set free?_ Esper sent to Candy. 

_Set free! They're letting us go!  
_

_But… I've never been outside! I don't know anything about it!  
_

_We'll stick together._

Esper felt her fear and excitement build as the armor was taken off. 

_Calm down! We're free Esper!  
_

_I know!_ Esper followed Candy's scent. A door opened, and a gentle warmth caressed her. _What is that?  
_

_I'm not sure, but I think it's the sun!  
_

_The sun?_ She tilted her head toward it. _It feels so good...  
_

_Oh Esper! If you could see this!  
_

_Send me an image._ Esper turned toward the bright warmth. An image formed in her mind. Green trees, mountains, blue sky, a Team Rocket truck behind them that they had arrived in, and a glowing yellow ball. _I'm speechless..._

A hand hit the side of her leg. Candy and Esper took off in a run. the ground seemed to give way a little but held firmly. 

_What is this?  
_

_It's grass! Grass and dirt!_ Candy kept an even pace. Esper followed her scent and mental commands. 

_It's feels lovely._ Esper could feel life all around her, smell sweet things in the wind… _Where are we now?  
_

_A forest.  
_

_So much life here...  
_

_Yes… It's beautiful_ Candy allowed a laugh. 

Esper's tone then became serious. _What will we eat? Where will we sleep?  
_

_We'll solve all those problems later, right now lets put as much distance between them and us as possible!_

Esper and Candy felt a sudden pain in their heart. _What?  
_

_Zani…_ Candy stopped running. _They're killing the others!  
_

_We need to help them!  
_

_We can't, They'll kill us too._ Candy took Esper's arm. _Let’s go!_

They ran trying to fight back all the pain. Candy didn't know how long they had run, or how far. But she knew that when night came, they needed to find shelter. She found a soft dry spot for them to sleep in, and led Esper over. It was the first time either had slept laying down, and it felt pretty damn good. Esper lay with her tail curled around her and using her arms for a pillow. Candy did likewise, but leaned against Esper, keeping some warmth between them. They both feared the unknown and the great adventures ahead.   
  
Morning came and Esper awoke with the sun. She stood and shook the morning dew from her skin. She laughed a little at the way the droplets felt as they rolled down her arm and fell. She licked a bit off her hand and smiled. _Candy?  
_

_huh?  
_

_Where are we?  
_

_I don't know_ Candy stood up. _Hey! Dew!  
_

_I'm hungry.  
_

_Oh don't start now._ Candy shook the dew off her back. 

Esper sniffed the air. _Okay, now you follow me.  
_

_Where are you going? Don't hit a tree!  
_

_I smell food._ Esper started to walk slowly forward. _There are humans around here, they'll help us. Huh Candy?_

There was only the sound of the forest. 

_Candy!_

Still no sound from her. 

_Candy! Where are you!?_

"Wow, I can't believe you caught a wild mewtwo!" 

"What are you going to name it?" 

"I dunno." 

_Caught? Candy? Candy?! Where are you?!_

"Awesome! It's another one!" 

"That one's mine!" 

_No, who, where…_ Panic was setting in. _They're supposed to help..._

"Mewtwo! You're mine!" 

Esper covered her face with her hand to try and suppress her panic. Panic was a bad thing, panic controlled you. The human scent was getting stronger. Esper remembered the purple eyes, the concern, the care in them. Then it was dark.   
  
"You caught it!" 

"Yeah!" 

"Now we both have Mewtwo’s!" The girl cradled her ball. "I can't wait to start training mine!" 

"Oh yeah? Well mine's gonna be better!"   
  
******  
  
Molly happily skipped home with the pokeball. Her mother would be so happy to see her new Pokemon. A moment later, she pushed open her kitchen screen door. "Moooomm! Look what I caught!" 

"Wash-up first, breakfast is done." Her mother rinsed her hands at the sink. 

" 'Kay Mom!" Molly put the Pokeball on the counter, then went to the bathroom. 

"I wonder what she got this time? I'm up to my eyeballs in Oddishe’s." Her mother picked up the ball, then opened it. 

Esper found unfamiliar tile under her feet, and strange smells. Her shoulder met a sheetrock wall, and she followed it down to the floor. 

"Oh dear." Molly's mother looked the Pokemon over. "Poor thing, you're so frightened." She could see Esper shaking. "Molly can't take care of you." She put Esper back in the ball. 

"Mom! I wanted to show you!" 

"Molly, you can't have this Pokemon." 

"Why? I caught it!" 

"This Pokémon is too much responsibility for you right now. When I go to the orange Islands tomorrow, I'll give it to your Aunt." 

"Aunt Ivy?" 

"She'll take care of it until you're ready. When you get older, you can have it back." 

"Okay..." Molly gave in. No use arguing with Mom.   
  
******  
  
"I honestly have no idea how she caught it Ivy." 

"She takes after her mother." Professor Ivy welcomed her sister into her home with open arms.

"Don't tell me you forgot what it's like to run all over hell and creation catching Pokemon?" 

"No, but I have no idea how she caught this one, or even what it is." Maple gave the ball to her sister. 

"Excuse me beautiful ladies." Brock zipped by carrying a tray full of Pokémon food. 

"Lets take a look at it then." Professor Ivy led his sister to an open room with a table in the middle. She threw the ball, and it cracked open on the floor. A huge almost white Pokémon formed next to the table. "A Mewtwo??" Ivy's eyes opened wider. "How did your daughter get this?!" 

"I was hoping you could tell me." Maple shock her head. "It seems to be very frightened though." 

_Now where am I?_ Esper felt the table at her side and the presence of two other humans in the room. It wasn't even the same room. The air smelled different, the rotaion of the earth was a little off here, it was warmer. 

"Yes, it does seem frightened… I do believe it's a 'she' though." Profesor Ivy walked over to Esper, who promptly slunk to the floor. "Hey, it's okay, I won't hurt you." 

_How can I trust her?_

"Whoa! Where did you find it?" Brock came into the room. 

_Why are they all staring at me? I can't see them, but I can feel them looking at me. Where am I?_

Ivy stood. "We'll take care of her." 

"Tell me if she does any better." Maple let her sister lead her to the living room. 

"I will..." Ivy's voice drifted off. 

"Hey," Brock reached out and touched Esper's ear. Esper flinched and pulled back. "I won't hurt you." 

_I wish someone I knew was here, Gayle, or even Cassidy, someone I know._

"What's your name?" Brock managed to put his hands behind her ears and start scratching. So far she wasn't purring, but he knew that she would have to warm up to him first. "I won't hurt you, I want to help." 

_Esper._

"Whoa, could you say that again?" 

_My name is Esper._

"Esper? That's very pretty. Can you stand up, you must be hungry." 

_I am._

"Here, follow me to the kitchen." Brock stood up and looked over his shoulder at Esper who was just starting to get off the floor. 

Esper slowly felt her way up the wall, then felt the table. _It's warm here, and the smells..._

"Esper, I'm in here." 

"She hasn't even made it out of the room yet." Ivy's voice came. "So Esper is her name? I'm sure it fits her personality." 

"I wonder why she hasn't left the room yet." 

Professor Ivy's aura and scent entered the room. It was like suntan lotion and a light fragrance combined. "You are very pretty. Let me see you real quick, make sure you don't have any problems like a broken leg or something. I have no idea how my niece Molly caught you."   
Esper pulled away. 

“I'm not going to hurt you. I'm one of the most respected breeders in the Pokémon field." Ivy gently took Esper's chin in hand and looked in her eyes. “Hmm... Brock, can you hand me my light pen?" 

"It's right in your pocket." 

"Oh yes, so it is." She laughed, then took it out and shone it in the corner of Esper's eye. "Now follow the light." 

_I..._

"I wouldn't do anything to hurt you." 

_I..._

"Here, catch." Brock threw an apple. 

_Catch?_

The apple hit her shoulder and fell to the floor. 

"Sorry! Didn't mean to hit you!" 

_My fault, I didn't see it..._

"Didn't see…” Ivy shown the light right in Esper's pupil. Esper didn't so much as blink. "Brock," 

"Yes?" 

"We have a very special Pokemon with us. No wonder she was so frightened." She took Esper's hand. "This way." 

_She knows..._

"How is she special, besides the obvious?" 

"She's blind. And a hell of a trooper to make it this far." 

"Blind?" Brock asked. "I'm sorry, I didn't know." 

_Neither of you were supposed to._

"You may stay with us as long as you wish." Ivy took Esper's hand. "I am Professor Ivy." She put Esper's hand on her cheek. "See now?" 

Esper traced the contours of Ivy's face. _You are very pretty._

"Thank you," Ivy led her over to Brock. "And this is Brock." 

_Hello._ She traced his features as well. 

"You'll meet my assistants later." Ivy said softly. 

"Welcome to the Family." Brock spoke up. 

_Family?_ Esper sighed. _A family...My Family._   
  
******   
  
The wind raced along his back and over his chest. The cool misty clouds caressed his senses and made the flight more enjoyable. 

"Mew mew!" 

_Hello Mew._

**"Hey! What brings you out on a day like this?"**

_Fresh air, semi-clear skies, and no appointments until tonight._

**"It's a good day for flying."** Mew executed a few flips and circles around Mew2. **"How's L2?"**

_Fantastic, He's become so successful._

**"I've never met a Pokémon that likes to sing as much as he does. Except maybe a JigglyPuf I drop-kicked once."**

_L2 has a talent._ Mew2 broke down through the clouds and headed for the crystal blue ocean. He skimmed almost a foot away from the surface of the water, catching mist in his face and along his body. Mew swooped down and joined him. 

**"Supersonic?"** Mew giggled. 

_Supersonic._ Mew2 seconded. He started flying faster, Mew followed for as long as he could. The water became a sheet of blue glass below him. A school of Gyrados raced him below the waves. New Island came into view. _I want to show you something, hang on._

**"What do ya wanna show me?"**

_At the Island._ Mew2 picked up his pace even more. His eyes started glowing. 

**"Whoa, slow down! I can't keep up! There's no rush man!"** Mew grabbed Mew2's ears and held on for dear life. Mew2 smiled sadistically as Mew let out a loud screaming "Meeeeeww!!" over the waves. Huge rooster tails shot out of the water behind him. The island was now dangerously close. Right before he slammed into a support pillar, he turned, went underneath the island and shot upward, back into the clear sky. **"Wow! You sure know how to have fun!"** Mew sat on his head holding onto his ears like he was an airplane. 

_Just trying to keep from killing myself._

**"Riiiight..."**

Mew2 cycled down, letting each mental gear slow until he landed on the helipad of New Island. 

**"You could just fly in ya know!"**

_I like feeling the ground beneath my feet, It give me more of a connection to it._

**"Lemme try."** Mew landed and tried walking a few feet. **"I can't do this."**

_At least you gave it a try._ Mew2 led the way down a short flight of steps and into the main hall of New Island. He then turned up a small hall and down a narrow flight of steps seemingly carved into the rock. 

**"Where ya goin'?"** Mew followed. 

_Remember those flowers I asked you to get for me?_

**"Yeah,"**

Mew2 pushed a door open. _I've been busy._

**"Whoa!"** Mew looked around. **"This even impresses me!"**

It was a garden, made in a cavity of the rock that offered a panoramic view of the ocean beyond. Large blooms of ever kind of fragrant flower known nodded and bowed their heads in the soft wind. Long strands of hanging flowered vines and ferns blew in the breeze. Water lilies grew in a clam dark pool fed by a natural spring. 

_You didn't think I sat on my butt all day did you?_ Mew2 bent over and sniffed a purple rose. His pride and joys. 

**"Not really but, I didn't expect this."**

_You can come over anytime you wish._

**"Spanks!"** Mew settled on the grass, which had soft purple blossoms. **"I'm a sleepin' now."**

Mew2 lay down next to him. _Doesn't sound like a bad idea._ He curled up on the grass. _I got the feeling that something big is gonna happen, and it's happening soon._   
  
******   
  
"Hello Esper!" 

"Esper! Hey!" 

"You come back and see me now!" 

Esper waved and hopped up the dirt street that went through the village filled with her friends. Everyone here made it a point to say hello to her when they saw her. Both to let them know they cared, and to let them know they were there so she didn't run into them. The whole Island had come to love and accept her. 

"Oh!" Nurse Joy looked up as Esper came into the Pokemon Center. "Hello Esper." 

"Woman! It is a wonderful day out der! How can you pen yourself up inside? I order you to get out and enjoy some sunshine! Everyone tells me dat you don' even have a tan yet!" Esper ranted while pulling out a list from her bag that carried where ever she went. "Here it is. Sometime I dink dat Brock and Ivy dink I am their personal go-fer." 

"They love you very much." 

"Ha! And what would you know? New girl, Why your cousin left, I don' know. At least she could understand me the first time!" 

"She just got transferred, that's all." Nurse Joy took the list. "More antidote?" 

"A newly evolved Vileplume went crazy with da poison powder." Esper leaned on the desk.   
Nurse Joy went to the back to get the antidote. Her center served as both a Pokemon hospital and shop on the small island. Esper did indeed brighten her day every time she saw her. The first time it was strange to see a huge rare Pokémon step into her center and ask for a few jars of super-potion in a Jamaican accent. It was strange to see her talk and even more so with an accent. Joy took the things off the shelf, then returned to the counter to see Esper with her head outside sniffing the wind.

"Done with my dings yet?" 

"Here ya go." Nurse Joy put the bag on the counter. Esper turned, felt for it, then put it in her own bag. "I'll see you later!" 

"Bye!" Esper bounced out the door. It was a beautiful day, the sun was bright, and life was good. Ivy and Brock were kind to her, even though a bit possessive. Getting around her handicap had been easy, after all, smell touch, hearing and occasionally taste helped out a lot. 

She knew home by the smell of things cooking inside, and by the sound and feel of the Pokémon living happily here. But then again, the whole Island was generally a happy place. That was how she had started meeting people, by accidentally walking into the wrong house. Who would have thought that Brock and the neighbor two miles down the road would decide to make curry on the same night? Now she knew home by it's location. The smell of the sea, the feel of the rotation of the earth. It felt good to be such a part of everything. All the Pokemon in Ivy's reserve were happy, and Esper felt like that star attraction. 

"Hey, you're back." Brock came out of the kitchen. "Did you get it?" 

"Right here." Esper followed him into the kitchen and set the bag down on the table. "I'm going for a little run." 

"Stay close, I have a customer coming into pick up something and I really want him to meet you." 

"Why must you show me off to all your friends?" 

"Easy Island Girl." Brock gave her a rice cake. 

"I'll be back later." She ate it in one gulp and hopped out the back screen door. 

Brock watched her near-white form bounce away. She really was a prize. 

"Where's Esper?" Ivy came into the kitchen a moment later. 

"She went for a little walk." 

"I don't want your client getting his paws on her. I like the idea of our own Mewtwo running around. Sabrina and Bill seem to have cornered the market." 

"We can't claim Esper like she's property. What happens, happens." Brock sat down at the table. 

"I care a lot for her Brock. She's like a daughter to me." Ivy sighed and poured a glass of tea. 

"He won't be here till later. We have plenty of time."   
  
******   
  
_I've always loved this Island… It's not quite Mew's tropical jungle, but so nice..._ Mew2 leaned against a tree, soaking in some sunshine. _Brocks not expecting me untill tonight. Plenty of time to find a spot to just curl up and…_

Something white suddenly rushed by through the trees. It was gone before He could get a good look at it. 

_What was that? A ponyta? Wait… no flames… to fast to be anything else._ He stood up, his curiosity perked. He hopped over to where he saw it. _Deep prints… It was running obviously,_ He studied them a bit more. _Either it has a really long stride or..._ He looked up in amasement. _It runs like me… Wait, L2 might have…_ He looked at the prints. _Two toes, not three._ Mew2 launched up the trail in hot pursuit. The jungle fell away to reveal a huge open plain and a few cliffs. A little white dot ran along the beach. He was still too far away to see what it was. 

_What is that?_ He ran faster, and when he finally came close enough to focus on it, it took to the air for a moment and dipped below the waves. _Does it know I'm following it?_ Mew2 flew over to the spot, then dove into the water as well. The water tried to push him back to the surface, but he fought it until he was in deep enough. The white dot had now become a small bubble in the distance. A high-pitched echo occasionally drifted back to him. _Sonar?? It's using Sonar?_   
Mew2 tried to keep up, but the dot was too fast. _I can't swim fast enough, but maybe if I got some help.._ He called a Gyrados to his side and perched behind the crest on its head. _Let’s go!_

They followed the white form along the coast, then it turned around and headed back to land, still trying to be far enough away so Mew2 couldn't get a good look at it. It finally came to a halt before a huge rock face that was obviously one of the cliffs he had seen earlier. Mew2 closed in, then felt shock over come him as the form turned around, and rested its gaze on him. 

_A Mewtwo?? A Girl?!?_

Esper felt the presence of the Gyrados and another before her. _What ever this thing thinks it be, it's dead._

Mew2 was unprepared for the sudden shockwave moving through the water. He came to on a beach. The last thing he concisouly remembered was rolling through the water and about to run out of breath. The sand and salt ground into his skin. _I HATE the beach!_ The shock of seeing another Mewtwo alive hadn't really set in yet. Let alone the fact that it was a girl. 

A bit of sand blew in his face. Mewtwo looked up and felt shock wash over him again as he beheld a pair of purple feet that blended into a white stomach and tail, up to a finely shaped head, then ending in a pair of purple tipped ears. 

"I don't know what kind of Pokemon you think you be, but if you keep following me around like dat. I'll kill you." 

Mew2 couldn't find any words. Nothing came to his mind. For the first time in his life, he was speechless. 

Esper turned around and headed back for home. She groaned when she heard whatever it was get up and start to follow. _AWAY!_

Mew2 dodged a Swift. _Oh she's fast…_

 _I wish dat ding would leave me alone._

Brock looked up as Esper bounced through the screen door, and slammed it shut behind her.

"Brock! Where you be?!" 

"Right here." 

"Get dat ding to leave me be!" 

“What…” Esper hopped out of the room and up the hall. Brock turned as the screen door creaked again. Mew2 was pushing it open, and carefully stepping into the kitchen. Brock had never seen his eyes so wide with curiosity and wonder. "You're a little early." 

_Where is she?_

Brock smiled. "You know she wants you to leave her alone." 

"Why? Didn't she see me? What did I do? Where did she come from?" 

"I can say she didn't see you." 

"How could she miss me?" 

"She's blind." 

_"What?!"_

"She's been living with us for a few months." 

"Why didn't you tell me?!" 

"She's skittish. Like you." Brock smiled. 

"You can get what you came for, and leave." Ivy came into the room. 

"Why?" Mew2 looked around. the fact of seeing another of his kind had not set in yet, and finding out all this was making it harder. 

"Esper is ours. She's still too young to even think of meeting you." 

"What?" Mew2 shook his head. "I just want to meet her… What are you thinking?" 

"Come now." Ivy continued. "How much more of a set up do you need?" 

"No!" Mew2 shook his more frantically. "It's not like that! If you're coming from the point I think you are, I'd have L2 over here in a heartbeat. I'm too old!" 

Ivy raised an eyebrow. 

"Please believe me. I just want to speak to her." 

"What makes you think she'll want to speak to you?" 

"She doesn't know who let alone what I am. Just please let me speak to her." 

Ivy thought for a moment. "Alright. But only under my supervision." 

Esper's ears perked when she heard her bedroom door open. Then her nostrils caught the scent of the other Pokémon. "I thought I told Brock to be rid of it!" She moaned. 

Mew2 stopped Ivy from saying anything. 

"What is going on?" Esper didn't like the silence. _The other is familiar somehow… Who is it? What is it?  
_

_So Esper is your name.  
_

_Who are you?_ She snapped. 

Mew2 reached out and took her hand. _My name is Mew2, but every one calls me Two.  
_

_But…_ She felt a hand like hers, yet not hers. Her mind didn't want to believe it. _What kind of trick is this? Candy and I are the last of our kind!  
_

_Candy?  
_

_Leave me! Haven't I been through enough?!  
_

_Please, hear me out!  
_

_Please! Just leave!_ She backed away. 

"I..." Mew2 watched her almost white beautiful form cower in the corner of her bed. 

"Come. I told you she wouldn't want to see you." Ivy took his arm. 

_But why?_   
  
******   
  
"Bill, there is nothing sadder than a depressed Mewtwo." Sabrina said from the doorway. 

"Brock told me what had happened." Bill sat down at the coffee table and put a mug before Mew2. 

_What did I do wrong?_

"Nothing. Just give her time." 

_How much time?_

"I don't know." 

_It's not that I want her..._

"You just keep telling yourself that." 

_No! It's not like that! If…. If she..._ Mew2's head hit the table. _Dammit._

Sabrina put an arm over his shoulder. "I know how you feel. It's the only girl you'd ever have a chance with and she hates your guts." She smirked. "I'm sure Bill can sympathize." 

"Looovve." 

_It's not my chance. I only want L2 to be happy. I'm too old._

"How can you think about L2 when I can see your bone-bleed smitten?" 

_This isn't my place. If she… Me… Dammit._

"Cigarette?" 

_Please._

Bill slid the pack across the table. "It's interesting seeing you in this state." He said around a mug of coffee. "I've seen you as happy, sad, at various degrees of anger, even as a father. But never love-struck." 

_I am not Love-struck! It would be lust more than anything!_

"Go for her if you want to Two." Sabrina sighed. "Me and Bill want your happiness more than anything." 

_This feels too-much like a set-up._

Bill pulled Sabrina closer. "It always feels like a set-up."   
  
******  
  
Esper sniffed the air. "Lord save me. He's back." 

Mew2 leaned against a tree looking at her carefully move through the jungle. _I know she knows I'm here._

"Why don' you just leave me alone? I am tired of tourist games." 

_Tourist?_ Mew2 slowly approached her. _Listen, if you'd just let me talk._

"If it'll make you leave, about what den?" She folded her arms. 

Mew2 sat against a huge tree-root. _My fault. It's not me who needs to talk. It's you._

"Me?" 

_Yes. Tell me all about your past, then if you feel like it. I'll tell you about mine._

"You actually want to listen to all of that?" 

_Yes._ He lay down in the grass as she sat down. _She's so beautiful… it's strange, I've never seen a female of my species before. Funny, it's that what me and L2 are now? A species? Esper, she's gorgeous. I don't even want to leave her side I felt like I would die last night when I did. Never before have I had emotions like this._ He unknowingly let out a sigh of contentment as she began to talk. _I could do this forever._   
  
Brock snuck up on Professor Ivy as she hid behind a wall of ferns. "Look, he's not going to hurt her." He gave her a snack. 

"They haven't said a word to each other." 

"They're talking mentally." He sat down next to her. 

"I have been rough on both of them." Ivy looked through her binoculars. Mew2 was laying on his stomach with his head resting on his hands, and his feet in the air. 

"I've never seen him so happy." Brock said around a mouthful of rice. "I've never seen him even close to this, and it really, really scares me." 

"Not just you I'm sure."   
  
******   
  
_So that was when you started chasing me.  
_

_I'll find Candy for you. I know she must be safe.  
_

_Thank you for your help. It was good to have someone listen.  
_

_It was good to listen to you.  
_

_I feel so much better now. But I can't help but feel that we've met before.  
_

_When? I would definitely have remembered you.  
_

_I have memories, not from this life, but a past one. It confused me a at first because I should have been dead. I remember dying.  
_

_What do you remember?  
_

_Kind, concerned eyes, a soothing voice and… Purple..._ She giggled. Mew2 felt like he was going to melt. _A lot of purple.  
_

_Yeah, purple… wait! I'm Purple!!  
_

_Huh?  
_

_I don't really know… I know this may be hard for you, but how did you die?  
_

_I don't really remember, but I think I was somewhere called the Pokemon League, another Mewtwo._

Mew2 sat up and gently took her hand. "May I?" 

" I suppose, but…” She felt him put her hand to his cheek. Mew2 closed his eyes as her fingers slowly ran over his features. "It's you..." 

_You were the one in the armor..._

"You freed me." 

_I can't help it..._ He held her hand to his cheek. 

_I'm sorry, I didn't realize it was you. I've waited all this time for you. It was the memory of you that kept me alive._

Mew2 was silent, lost in the way her hand felt on his cheek, the smell of her skin... 

"Esssspperrrr!" A voice drifted through the jungle. 

"Dey are calling me." She whispered. 

"I really love your accent." He felt her pull her hand away. 

"Love my accent, love me." She said with a smile in her voice. 

Mew2 felt a blush come on. Esper chuckled. Her speaking voice was in almost compete contrast with her mental one. 

"I can feel a blush." Her nose touched his. "I don' want to go now that I've found you." 

" I don't want you too." 

"Essspperrr!!" 

"Don't go." He nudged her. 

"Esssssppeeerrr!!" 

"I need to go." She returned the nudge. "Will you be back tomorrow?" 

" Yes." He opened his eyes. 

Esper slowly pulled away from him. "Talk to me den." 

"Esper," He felt a sense close to panic as she rose to leave. He didn't want her to go, and he could tell she really didn't want to leave either. 

"Patience Boy." She chuckled. "You got me to talk today, maybe I get you to talk tomorrow." 

"Why not tonight?" 

"Goodbye Mew2." 

"Bye..." He stood up and watched her almost white form move through the trees and ferns. _Oh god I've fallen for her and I've fallen hard. How could this happen? How?_

Mew2 was suddenly tackled to the ground. It was Esper. She rested her head on his chest. A chuckle rumbled through her throat. "Dis is going to be harder than I thought." 

"For the both of us." Mew2 smiled.   
  
******   
  
"Someone's in a good mood." Sabrina watched Mew2 bounce into the kitchen. 

_Morning,_ He kissed her cheek, claimed an orange, then bounced out. 

Sabrina blinked. "Bill. He just kissed my cheek." 

"He's happy." Bill opened the paper. "I'm surprised he dropped by." 

"Mew!" 

"Hey!" Sabrina turned around and scratched Mew's stomach. "Mew! What brings you here?" 

"Mew mew mew!" 

"Two's been running since last night?" 

"Mew mew mew mew!" 

"Hey, he just met a girl, that's all." 

"Mew mew??" 

"He's still your friend." 

**"Ha! Last time one of my friends fell in love, I didn't see him for about two centuries! Mew2… Where did he find a girl?"**

"Loooong story."   
  
******   
  
Mew2 waited patently for the sun to rise. As soon as the golden orb kissed the sky and started covering the world in its warm glow, he turned his attention up the path before him. 

He smiled warmly as a familiar white form bounced/walked over to him. "Morning Esper." 

"And a very good morning to you." She ran over and hugged him. 

Mew2 pulled her closer, savoring the feel of her skin against his own. "I couldn't stop thinking about you all night." 

"It was da very same here." She smiled, her face turned toward his. She cold feel his gaze rest upon her. 

Mew2 slowly let go of her. “I… uh… brought something." 

"What?" 

He pulled off his backpack. "Here." 

"A book? I can't read, I can't even see." 

“I... I know… It's in brail. I've been taking some classes so I can teach you." 

Esper's ears perked. "You do that for me?" 

“Yes... of course." 

Her eyes seemed to water. “Th... Thank you..." She sat down on the grass and opened the book. Mew2 took a place across from her. 

By noon, she was reading on her own. Mew2 had hoped he had remembered all the little rises and bumps. Apparently he did. She was reading fine. It truly amazed him at how fast she learned. When the day had become hot, he left and came back with some fruits. 

"A mango." She took the fruit from him. "Thank you." Mew2 watched with pure interest as she ate. 

"The locals said it was your favorite." 

"They are right." She took another bite, then her ears picked up puzzlement. Mew2 had picked up her foot and was pulling apart her toes. "What be you doing to mah feet boy?" 

“I... I love your feet." Mew2 let it rest in his hand. 

"My feet?" She raised a questioning eyebrow. 

"Yes. They're just so… I don't know how to put it." He lay down in the grass, and brought her other foot over. "I just love your feet." 

Esper found it hard to concentrate on her book. Mew2's fingers were running lightly over the back of her foot and along the round ball of her ankle. "Ha! Stop it! It tickles!" 

"What? This does?" He let his fingers lightly trace the ball of her foot. She snorted and kicked out. Mew2 hissed as one of the so called "Useless Nubs" left a long scratch down his arm. 

"I'm sorry." Esper tried to calm her giggles. 

"It's alright." He went back to her feet, this time massaging them. "Don't pay any attention to me." 

"I don't intend to." She continued with her book." 

After her feet felt relaxed enough, Mew2 stopped massaging and leaned back on the grass, just enjoying the company of another and taking in the sun. Then jungle echoed with various bird calls and the sound of wind through the trees. "Are you done with the book?" He asked softly. 

"Almost." 

"I have a few more for when you are." He sighed. Mew2 rolled over and looked at her, then sat up a little when he felt her tail seek out his. 

Esper flipped a page in the book. 

Mew2 closed his eyes and listened to the wind. He could tell she wasn't focusing on the book just like she could tell he wasn't focusing on relaxing. 

Esper's tail wrapped around his. 

Wind, sun, Esper flipped a page. 

_Oh she is a master at this._

A few branches overhead creaked in the wind. Esper's foot touched his. 

She smiled and chuckled a bit when he stood up and moved. 

"Oh you are sadistic." Mew2 sighed in exasperation. 

"Dere's a cold stream over there if you need to make use of it." she chuckled. 

“That…" He looked back at her. She was calmly sitting against a tree. "That won't help." He sat down on a log. _L2, she's for L2, not for me… But I..._

Her ears perked when she heard and smelled him come closer, he stopped, retreated, and sat back down on his log. 

Flip. 

"Mew2?" 

"Yes?" 

Esper placed the question carefully. "Do you love me?" 

Mew2 looked over his shoulder at her. She was now focused in his direction. 

"I ask this because I realize that I love you. I have since the League games. These past two days have been the happiest of my life." 

Mew2 chose his words. "Are you sure you have not made a premature decision?" 

"Yes." She answered right away. "So I ask you, do you love me?" 

Mew2 looked back at her then stood. 

Esper felt him come closer. His hand ran down her cheek gently, then he carefully took the book from her. 

"I have tried, but I can't deny my feelings for you any longer. Yes, yes I do love you but…” He fell silent when her finger was placed over his lips. 

"If you love me, then love me." She said softly. "If not, then go." There was a smile in her voice.   
Mew2 let one hand slid around the small of her back, and the other behind her head. He had never been this close to her before. Esper could feel his heartbeat and hers race, her own heart beat faster as his lips softly touched hers, then opened a little wider, to help pull her toward him.

Overhead the wind blew softly.   
  
******   
  
"Somebody's in a good mood." Brock said as Esper came in the door. 

Esper stopped humming long enough to ask. "Is Ivy here?" 

"No, she's out." Brock smiled. "he came back didn't he?" 

"Now what in da world would give you dat idea?" Esper giggled. 

“You two didn’t…”

Esper shook her head. "You worry too much." 

"Personally I'm happy that you two hit it off so well. Ivy on the other hand..." 

"I wonder if dat woman has ever had a day of fun in her life." 

Brock stood up and scratched behind her ear. "Easy Island Girl." 

"When are you going to ask her out?" 

Brock blushed. “Heh... Not yet." 

Esper leaned into his touch, purring. "He taught me how to read brail." 

"He did?" 

"Yes, he left a few books for me to read tonight. I'm going to enjoy them." Esper was forced to sit at the table as Brock's fingers scratched her ears. She then rested her head on the table and sighed, purring contently. 

"I guess I could pick up a few books for ya." 

"I miss him." 

"Already?" 

"I don't know how to describe it. It's like… We are two halves of the same being. When I am with him, I feel whole, when he's away, I feel empty. I love him… The sound of his voice, the way he kisses me… Why can't Ivy understand?" 

"I don't know." Brock stopped scratching and rested his head on the table as well. "She's so driven, so focused." 

"I can't wait until tomorrow."   
  
******   
  
Esper followed the familiar wild scent up the trail. She knew it was Mew2. He had that soft musky scent that all wild Pokemon had. Captured Pokémon had a more subdued almost oily scent. 

She stopped hopping when the scent grew stronger. A hand touched hers and she jumped into his arms. "Good morning!" 

His lips brushed hers, then claimed her’s fully. Esper lifted her arms and let them hang loosely from his shoulders. His own hands went to her waist. 

It seemed too brief. His lips left, but he instead rested his forehead on hers. "Good morning Island Girl." 

"Hey now!" Her voice rumbled. "Only Brock calls me dat." 

"It's too cute not to use." 

"Ah, da both of you." 

He pulled away, and she followed, still letting their chests and stomachs touch. Mew2 smiled and gently pushed her away, but held onto her hands. 

"Mew2," Esper started. "Do you know what it's like to be away from you?" 

"Do you know what it's like to be away from you?" He seconded. 

Esper smiled and let go of his hands, then rested a finger on his chest. "Tag, you're it." She bounced off through the ferns. 

"Oh you…” Mew2 snorted then bounced after her. 

"I'd like to see you try and catch me boy!" She shouted, then started hopping faster. 

"I will get you!" He followed her bouncing body through the trees. They didn't care about how many different kinds of Pokémon and wild life they disturbed. 

Esper's feet found a familiar trail, she didn't heat Mew2 her. "Mew2?" She stopped and sniffed the air. Nothing. All was silent save for the normal sounds of the forest. “Mew…” 

A sudden weight tackled her. She fell backward along with it, and went sliding and rolling down a steep hill. After turning up most of the foliage on it they came to a rest in a pile of crisp leaves and ferns at the bottom. 

"I caught you." His voice came. 

"You win." Esper felt her heart beat slow, then pick up again when she realized that they had landed in a very particular position. 

Neither said a word or even breathed. Birds called out around them. Mew2 finally spoke up. 

"Might as well make the best out of a bad situation." 

"Dis is not a bad sit…” She smiled and relaxed when he kissed her again. Their tails instinctively coiled around the others. She sighed and gave in. "I love you." 

Mew2 nudged her. "I love you too." He gently kissed her neck. 

They both froze as leaves crunched nearby. 

_Ivy._ Esper said softly. 

_Oh shit… if she catches us like this…_ He uncoiled his tail causing a crunch in the leaves. 

_Don't move!_ Esper put her hand over his mouth. 

"Now I could have swore I heard something over here." Ivy's voice drifted. 

Mew2 moved his foot, causing another crunch. 

_I said don't move!_

Mew2 could see Ivy's feet beyond the ferns. _She's really close…_

 _I know, I can smell her._

"What could have happened?" 

_Please oh please if there is a god, don't let her see us! It would be impossible to explain a way out of this one!_ He lifted his head a little. 

_Put your head down!_

Mew2 did, another crunch of leaves. 

"I said…” 

Mew2 clapped a hand over her mouth now, then looked back through the ferns. 

"Brock do you have any idea what could have caused such a god-awful noise?" 

_Please don't say a couple of Mewtwo's falling down a hill..._

"I have no clue." Brock looked around, then at a cluster of ferns about ten feet away. 

_He sees us…_

Brock shifted to the right a little, revealing the curve of a grey/purple head with a pair of white, purple tipped ears accompanying it. 

"What do you see?" Ivy asked. 

_Oh no..._

Esper felt his grip tighten on her waist. _Mew2, maybe getting caught isn't all that bad._

A loud crash sounded a bit away. 

"There it is again, oh I hope and pray it isn't a Snorlax again!" Ivy started running. 

Brock gave a little "V" sign and took of after her. 

Mew2 let his whole weight settle on Epser when they were out of sight.

“Ohthankyoujesusgod…” 

Esper grunted, then started pushing. "Oh get off! Damn you be heavy!" 

Mew2 struggled to his his feet, then helped Esper up. 

"I can't believe she didn't see us.” 

"Mew2," Esper smiled, putting her arms around him again. "Lets go before she comes back." She kissed his cheek. 

"Yeah, comes back..."   
  
******   
  
"Hmmmm..." Esper sniffed the flower under her nose. "Orchid." 

"Good, and this one?" He chose another. 

Esper sniffed and then pushed it away. "Agh, Sun blossom, very pretty to look at I've heard, but not a nice smell." 

“Okay... And this one?" Mew2 waved another under her nose. 

Esper sniffed it, the sound of waves crashing drifted to them. "It smells very lovely, though I have no idea what it be." 

Mew2 smiled. "A rose." 

"Rose?" She sniffed it again, it seemed that she could inhale that scent for the rest of her life.

"Let me hold it." 

"Careful, the stem has very sharp thorns." 

Esper took it from him. "So soft, so sweet smelling..." 

"This one is a purple rose. I am the only creature in the world who grows purple roses." He said with a laugh in his voice. "I guess all that Gene-splicing came in handy. If I can't make it out here one day, I'll send you a rose so you'll know that I'm always thinking of you." 

"Then I hope I don't receive very many roses in the future." She chuckled. 

Mew2 watched her sniff the rose and felt an overwhelming love grow in his heart for her. "Are you happy Island Girl?" He chose another rose and ran it across her lips, and cheek. She turned toward him. 

"How can I not be happy?" Her head rested on his shoulder and her tail coiled around his. "You are my chosen mate. I can be satisfied with no other." 

"Chosen mate?" Mew2 blinked. 

"Yes. I would gladly call you my husband." 

Mew2's nose touched hers. "And I gladly call you my wife." 

Esper chuckled, a deep pleasant sound. "Am I your wife then?" 

"Yes, if you wish." 

"Very well then, husband." Esper gave into his kiss, it became deeper than either had expected. 

Mew2 reluctantly pulled away. "I never thought I'd have a wife. I never thought that there would be any more of my kind. Life is full of surprises." 

"It is." She sighed. 

They sat in silence watching the sunset and listening to the waves crash. Esper couldn't see the sun, but felt its warm rays slowly leave. "It's getting dark." Mew2 whispered. "Are you going to go back?" 

"I am grown girl. If I want to spend the night outside I can. Besides. I can't take another night without you." 

"I feel the same." Mew2 sighed, letting his head rest on hers. "What about Ivy?" 

"What about her?" Esper grew a little annoyed. "I don't care if she approves or not. If she cannot accept my happiness, so be it." 

He smiled and kissed her head. 

Esper gently worked out of his grip and stood up. "We need to move. This be one of Ivy's favorite haunts. I know a place where she can't reach us. Nobody will disturb us there."   
Mew2 stood up and held her gently. Her skin shone a soft purple in the moonlight. "Okay Island Girl." 

"You can swim, yes?" 

"Of course." 

"Then follow me." She went down the cliff face and dove into the water. Mew2 followed her into the dark depths. 

_I hope she isn't planning on setting us down on the bottom of the ocean.  
_

_No need to worry Husband.  
_

_That feels strange coming from you… Wife._ He added with a smirk. 

_I understand your point._ She slowed and let her tail coil around his, and led him into dark mouth of an underwater cave. 

_It's so dark in here,  
_

_Give me a moment._

His eyes caught a bit of light, then followed it along with Esper. Occasionally she let out little squeaks of Sonar here and there. They eventually surfaced in a calm pool and climbed up a few large boulders surrounding it.   
_Incredible..._ It was a cave like area, a hole ha been opened far above. He realized that it was a small caldera. Plants grew all around him, even some varieties of vines came from the opening and spread their silver leaves in the moonlight. 

_I like the way the earth feels here._ Esper spoke, then walked up next to him, and sat down in the soft tall grass. 

_A beautiful place for a beautiful girl._ Mew2 pulled a few fruits off a nearby tree. 

Esper lay back on the grass, Mew2 joined her, giving her the fruit. "Thank you." She took a bite.

"Oh don't start again." She chuckled when he went back to her feet. 

"I can't help it. I like your feet." He kissed a few droplets of salt water off. 

"I didn't expect you to be the foot-type." Esper closed her eyes and felt the night air on her skin. 

"Esper?" 

"Hmmm?" His scent came to her softly. His leg brushed against hers, and his weight settled on her softly. His hand ran down her cheek. 

"I love you." He whispered. 

"I love you." Esper sighed 

He kissed her fully and deeply, while pulling her closer. Esper answered with vigor, then let herself completely surrender to his embrace.   
  
******   
  
"Ow! Dammit!" Professor Ivy struggled to get to the top of the caldera. A few sharp bushes hindered her progress and scraped her legs. Her Vileplume had changed their migration habits for some reason, and although she wouldn't normally come here, she had to find out why her Vileplume had moved. 

Ivy fished around in her backpack and pulled out a pair of night vision goggles. "Now where did you little brats go?" 

An odd noise echoed from the depths of the caldera. 

"Now what ws that?" 

_"Don't stop..."_

Ivy raised and eyebrow and turned on her goggles, looked into the depths of the caldera, then hit "zoom". 

After a moment she backed away from the edge and stood up.   
  
Brock looked up from the dishes as Ivy stormed into the kitchen. "Hey how…” 

"When Esper comes back, put her in the ball." Ivy spat. 

“Why? Did she…” Brock stopped when he felt Ivy's icy stare. 

"You heard what I said." 

Brock went back to the dishes. "Yes Ma'am."   
  
******   
  
Mew2 felt the sun warm his back. A smooth rustle of leaves woke him fully. Laying beside him was Esper. Their tail were still coiled tightly around each other's, her sleeping face was only inches away from his. Her breathe was light and sweet smelling. As if sensing his awareness, her eyes slowly opened, but only halfway. _Good morning Esper._ He smiled. 

"It isn't morning, it's afternoon." She kissed his nose, then pulled herself up and rested her head against his chest. 

_We slept that long?_

"We did more than sleep." She sighed and smiled when she felt his lips on her shoulder.   
Mew2 wrapped his arms around her. _I will never love another like I love you. I will protect you, and if nature provides, our children._

Esper chuckled to herself. "Keep up nights like last night and you'll have plenty. 

Mew2 smiled and nudged her. _I'm serious. I want to take you to my home, and introduce you to my son._

"Son?" 

Mew2 quickly explained. 

"Son..." Esper was silent. She wrapped her arms around him, then rested her cheek against his. They lay in silence for a moment, then she closed her eyes and said softly. "You are my chosen mate, I can love not other but you. It may have Team Rocket's intentions, or fate, yet either way, I have you. I will go with you." 

Mew2 sighed and listened to her breathing, then her heartbeat, and noticed something very strange. "Esper," 

"Hmm?" 

"Listen." 

She did, then lifted her head a little. "Our hearts..." 

Mew2 smiled. "They're beating at the same time..." 

Esper smiled. "Two hearts beating as one, this is beautiful, we truly are part of the same being." 

Mew2 took in the scent of her skin, his heart pounding with the newfound information. _My wife?_ He smiled. 

Esper smiled at hearing it again. "Husband." 

Mew2 chuckled. **_Now_** _I feel old._ He gently kissed his wife.   
  
******   
  
Esper skipped lightly up the trail until she came to the screen door leading to the kitchen. With a light heart she pulled it open, then immediately all her spirits fell. She could smell Ivy and Brock sitting at the table. 

"Esper." Ivy said her name as a statement. 

Esper straightened her shoulders. "I don't deny what I've done. You can't tell me who I can and can't love." 

"You're too young to know love." Ivy stood up. 

"I am not too young." Esper could smell something familiar, yet somehow not. "How can you not understand?" 

Ivy took a step forward. 

Esper turned and pushed open the screen door. 

"Brock! The ball!" 

“I… uh…” He made to throw it and it dropped from his hand. 

"Idiot!" She picked it up and ran out the door. Esper was bouncing up the path. 

_MEW2!! HELP ME!_

Ivy threw it as Esper took to the air. 

_MEW2! Mew…_   
  
******  
  
Mew watched as Mew2 ran around the main hall picking up random pieces of clutter. **"What are you doing?"**

_She's coming! She's agreed to live with me!_

**"Man, all this work just cause you got laid...."** Mew sunk to the floor. He used transform and turned into a female Mewtwo with large pink eyes. **"Yoo-hooo! Lover boy!"**

_That's not funny._

**"Not to you…”** He ducked a TM that Mew2 had chucked at him. **"Geeezz.."**

_I didn't know you cross-dressed._ Mew2 smirked. 

**"Yeah man! All the time!"** He turned into Nurse Joy. **"Your Pokémon are now fighting fit!"** He changed back into himself. **"You know, having a girl isn't all it's cracked up to be."**

_What makes you say that?_ Mew2 set down a vase filled with flowers. 

**"I'se gots 275 kids, and they're all named Mew!"**

_How on the curse of the legendaries did you manage that?!_

**"Easy, Mews don't give birth to just one. It's litters man, I'm tallkin fifteen atta time!"**

Mew2 stopped for a moment. "You don't think..." 

**"YOU have a litter? I dunno, I would guess so, but I don't know how many. You'll have to find that out for yourself."** Mew noticed Mew2 growing pale. **"I don't think you're going to have fifteen kids at a time, if the genetics hold out, I'm guessing five--tops!"**

Mew2 looked to the floor. 

**"Aww geez, now what?"**

_Sadder still, would be none at all._   
  
******   
  
Esper was released from the ball, only to find something heavy being clamped down around her neck. She tried to repel them away using barrier, but instead the energy came back to her in a rush. _A restraining collar… They..._

Brock saw a tear run down her cheek. "Ivy, I can't stand for this. It isn't right." 

"She'll just be in there until tonight." Ivy walked over to the Mewtwo. "Esper, I know how you feel, but you can't see him." 

"Why? Why can't you let me be happy?" 

"For reasons you can't understand right now." 

"How do you know I can't understand if you never explain?!! I may be blind but I am not stupid!! I am not a pet! Allow me to leave! Please! I don't need either of you anymore!!" She felt Ivy's presence leave and head for the other side of the room. 

Professor Ivy quickly escaped out the door and shut it. Esper's weight slammed into the steel.

The door was one of those steel monsters that could stop a charging Ryhorn. 

Esper slammed into the door again, then started beating on it. "Ivy! Let me out!! Brock please! Neither of you understand! I'll die without him! Please!" She clutched at her chest and slid to the floor as a sharp pain went through her. "Please..."   
  
******   
  
Mew2 landed on the beach at twilight. He and Esper had agreed to meet here at night fall, so he sat and waited for her familiar white form to come from the trees. 

_Where is she? Why isn't she here yet?_

The moon slowly climbed overhead in the sky. A thousand different scenarios played in his mind, but none came close to what would happen. 

His head rose at a sound coming from the trees, his heart leapt into his throat as he saw white, then it fell when he realized it was Professor Ivy's lab-coat. She stepped calmly from the trees and into the moonlight. 

Instantly Mew2 felt a heavy weight on his heart. This wasn't going to be good. 

"I'll have to ask you to get off my property." Ivy said calmly. 

Mew2 stood up fully. "Where is Esper?" 

"You can no longer see her, nor she you." 

The weight grew heavier. "Why?" He tried not to let his sudden pain show. 

"Esper is a Pokémon in my care, she requires special attention." She pushed her bangs back carelessly. "Your little rendezvous will stop, especially after last night." 

“Last…” He cut his eyes at her, he could feel them glowing. "You were spying on us?" 

"Not exactly, but yes, I saw you two." 

Mew2 looked to the ground and gritted his teeth. _I will not let her win, I will let her beat me down… Esper..._ He looked back up. "What reasons do you have to judge us? What right have you?" 

"Easy. Esper is easily 20 years your junior if not more. In a year you may introduce L2 to her.   
Mew2 could feel grayness closing in. For some odd reason this felt like a battle. "You don't understand." 

"I understand perfectly." She watched him bring a hand to his heart the same way Esper had done. "And if you think about it, so will you." 

_No… why am I listening to her? Why?_

"I'm sorry." She turned around. "But I can't let you have her." 

_If I attack her I am no more than an animal…_

"Until a year passes I don't even want to see so much as a foot print from you in my property." 

_Esper?_ He called to her. "ESPER!!!" 

Ivy turned at the sound of a soft thud. Mew2 had fainted. She felt a little sorry for him. The poor creature had no defense against human attacks. Humans went straight for your heart.   
  
******   
  
"Hey Two… Come on, Two..." 

Mew2 awoke from his faint. He was laying on his side in the sand, Sabrina's boots before him, then her face. 

"Two." 

He vaguely felt her hand on his cheek. 

"Lets go, the bitch is threatening to press charges if I don't get you out of here." 

"Esper..." 

"So I heard, we'll get her," 

Mew2 closed his eyes and put his hand over his heart, then tried to stand. He legs gave way at the last moment and he collapsed to the sand again. 

"Two, are you alright?" She looked up at him, he was completely still, and his eyes were blank.

"Two, come on. You're scaring me again..." 

"My heart hurts. I can't move." 

Sabrina took the Master-Ball out. "I'm sorry, please forgive me."   
  
******   
  
Brock opened the door to Esper's room. The Pokémon stumbled in and collapsed on her bed. 

"Esper?" 

She lay motionless. 

Brock sighed sadly and left, closing the door behind him. He couldn't look at that damned collar. 

Esper put her hand over her heart and closed her eyes. A breeze blew through her window. 

"Pidgy." 

"Hmm?" 

A bird landed in her window, she felt it drop something. "What?" She reached for the object, then yanked her hand back. Something had bit her. _No, not bit..._ Esper sniffed the air, then pulled the rose closer.   
  
******   
  
"Two?" Sabrina climbed up the staircase in her greenhouse to find Mew2 laying in his hammock.

"Hey," she rubbed his back. "Why don't you come into the kitchen?" 

No response. 

"Come on, you haven't eaten in two days, you're really worrying me Two." She sat down on his hammock. "I'll get you a slushie." Bribing usually worked. 

Still nothing. 

"Come on Two." She circled around and looked into his eyes. All the life seemed to have been sucked from them. "Snap out of it!" 

Nothing. 

"Snap out of it please." She begged, then leaned forward so her head touched his. "Remember, we promised to face everything together?" 

"Love." Bill put his hand on her shoulder. She hadn't even heard him come up. "Come, there is no cure for what he has." 

"And what might that be?" 

"A broken heart." 

Sabrina looked into Mew2's dark purple eyes, usually filled with such life and promise. "Well, I'm gonna go fix it."   
  
******   
  
"Sabrina, I know we can settle this in a more civilized manner." Bill stumbled along behind his wife. "Love, please slow down." 

Sabrina paused for a moment. "This is my problem, and I will handle it. You just go talk to Brock or something. " She turned back up the trail to Professor Ivy's home. 

"Love," Bill wrapped his arms around her. "Please don't do anything stupid." 

"I'll be as stupid as I want to be. You've seen Two lately, he didn't survive tooth and nail this long just to die of a broken heart! I know how he feels, I'd die if you were taken from me!" 

"Sabrina," Bill kissed her cheek. "You don't have to worry about that… And here I thought all the love had left our relationship." 

"Bill, it's never gonna leave, just get stronger." She kissed his cheek. "Lets show Ivy that true love is eternal, Kay?" 

"So you'll handle it?" 

"What have I been saying for the past few miles?" 

"I'm a male, it took a bit to set in." 

"Nice save."   
  
Brock opened the front door to find Bill and Sabrina. By the looks on their faces this was not going to be good. Not wanting a fight, he stepped aside. Sabrina blew in while Bill stayed with Brock by the door. 

"Brock?" Bill started. 

"Yes?" 

"There's going to be a cat fight soon, it might be a good idea to hide." 

"I'm staying right here. If it's a good enough fight, I wanna see it."   
  
Sabrina walked up the hall and turned into a room. _Oh she's gorgeous..._

Esper was in her hammock, with her back turned toward the door. 

"Esper?" Sabrina saw the collar. 

"Who be you?" 

"I'm Sabrina, Two's friend. He wanted me to give these roses to you." She put the roses on her pillow. "He says that he's sorry." 

Esper turned and sniffed her sleeve. _You smell like him._

Sabrina tried to pull the collar off. 

"What are you doing?" Came a voice from the doorway. 

Sabrina turned around, Ivy. 

"I'm going to ask you once, then I'll be calling the police. Please leave." 

"Ivy, don't you know what you're doing?" 

"Esper is still too young for Mew2's affections." 

"How can you be so damn shallow?" Sabrina stood up. 

"Esper is in my care.” 

Sabrina slapped her across the face. "Esper is not property." 

Bill looked up in the doorway. "First blow." 

Brock nodded. 

Sabrina started. "You listen to me now and you listen well." She hissed. "The Two's mate for life, they have a psychic connection with each other. They are very social creatures. By doing this you're killing them both." 

"I am not hurting her." 

"Not physically, but emotionally she's dying. Let her go Ivy. Don't make me steal her." 

Ivy looked at Esper on the bed. She though it over for a moment. Esper had become a daughter to her, and she had let emotions rule her better judgement in this affair. Sabrina was right. "You win." 

"You can apologize later. Right now let's get them together before both of them die." 

Ivy took off the collar. "I really have been a bitch...How did that happen? Can you forgive me Esper?" 

Esper didn't say a word to her. 

"Esper, do you mind if I put you in a ball?" Sabrina knelt and said softly. 

_Why not, my life is meaningless without him._

"Esper." Sabrina smiled. "Who do you think we're taking you to see?" 

Esper's head lifted. 

Bill and Brock looked up as Sabrina and Ivy left the room. "Radio Jesse and James. We're heading back!"   
  
******   
  
_Why would she keep us apart? I don't care if there is an age difference! I just want my wife back! My mate, my friend… How long will I grieve over her? My heart hurts more and more everyday, I just want to hear her voice, just to even hear her… Why does it hurt so much to be away from her?_

"He's up there, just feel your way up the banister." 

_I love her so much..._

Sabrina smiled and waited as Esper climbed the stairs. 

"Hello handsome." 

_Handsome?..._ He opened his eyes as a hand ran down his cheek, he looked up into her eyes. _It’s..._ Sudden overwhelming joy washed over him. 

Esper smiled and felt tears come to her eyes as Mew2 jumped up and hugged her fiercely. "Ah missed you." 

"Esper!" He didn't want to let her go, she might vanish never to be seen again. He pulled her to the hammock with him. "It's you, it's really really you!" 

"I'm never leaving your side again, not for any reason." She kissed his cheek and felt his lips cover hers. 

_I'm never leaving your side either… This must be a dream!_

"No dream my boy. It's me." She nudged him. "I love you." 

_Not as much as I love you._ He pulled her closer, letting his tail coil around hers. _I'll never let you go,_   
  
Brock, Sabrina, Ivy, Bill, Jesse, and James sat at the dining room table. Each wore a different expression as Mew2 and Esper came into the room. 

_Oh christ..._ Mew2 covered his eyes and blushed. Esper giggled beside him, then reasserted her grip on his arm and tail. 

"Well?" Bill asked, a smirk on his face. 

_Well what?_ Mew2 tried to regain his stern "I-could-care-less" expression. 

James giggled. 

_Might as well give them what they want husband._ Esper smiled. 

_But…_ His ears flattened against the sides of his head and he smiled when she kissed him. _You're getting it tonight Island Girl.  
_

_Dats what I'm counting on._ She said with a laugh in her voice. 

They parted to the sounds of applause and laughter. Someone decided to throw rice. As luck would have it, it was James. 

Brock sighed. "They make such a cute breeding pair." 

Jesse was about to clobber him. 

Bill groaned and rested his head on the table. "Great, now I need to start another book." 


	2. Candy

The now familiar feeling of breaking into a million pieces over came her. It was nauseating in addition to the cold suppression of the Ultra-Ball. It seemed as if all the air had vanished from her lungs, then while she was traveling through the cable, it was almost like not existing, like floating in the cloning tube that had brought her back to this world. Always almost. If it was exactly like that, then she knew she no longer existed. 

Candy felt herself enter another Ultra-Ball. The residue if it's former occupant still lingered. 

_A Butterfree? I was traded for a Butterfree?!_

"Take care of my Butterfree." 

"Oh I will." The voice of her old trainer said. "And you be very careful with the Mewtwo." 

_Not MY Mewtwo but THE Mewtwo?!_

"She's a saucy one." 

"Don't worry, I know exactly what to do with her." 

_I'm tired of being traded, I tired of fighting, of everything...Esper's most likely dead, I'm the last one, the only one..._ She pulled her essence away from the sides of the Ultra-Ball, trying to pull deeper within herself. _I don't want to exist._   
  
**************************************   
  
"James?" 

"Yes Jesse?" He looked up from a paper. 

"What are you reading?" 

"A newsletter I finally had the status to suscribe to." James leaned back in his dineing room chair and sipped a bit of his tea. 

"What do you mean, 'Status'?" Jesse was at the other end almost a mile away and surround by her "Mornig Munchies" which consisted of almost ever kind of breakfast food imaginable. Her butler, and her maid stood at her sides waiting for her to finish. 

"Well, we're rich and all, but it took a while to get myself cleared as a suceesful Team Rocket Member." 

"James, our Team Rocket carrer was anything but successful." Jesse sighed, taking a bite of her grapefruit. "Can I read it?" 

"In a moment." James turned the page. 

Jesse looked up, Jamed never defied her. "Jaaaaaammmmeeeesss......" She said in a warning tone. 

James cringed and gave the paper to the butler at his right. About a minuter later, the Butler finally reached the other end of the table and gave the paper to Jesse. 

"Hmmm..." She looked at the cover. "Underground League… James! What exactly is this?"   
"It's the Underground Pokemon League. They fight and have matches with moves that aren't approved by the Leauge. It's cruel, but the gossip is amaseing!" 

Jesse sighed and opened it, then winced at the first picture she saw. "that must be what me and two looked like that night we blew up TR HQ." She turned that page. "eek...poor Hitmonlee." 

"What was that?" James called. 

Jesse looked up at James who was currently balanceing a spoon on his nose. _I would have to marry someone who would never grow up. I guess that's what I wanted anyway… He can fly a helicopter and well… He isn't too bad in bed..._ She turned that page again and her eyes rested on an ad. "Auction: Pokemon." _A pokemon auction? They have those?_ She read on. "Pokemon to be auctioned: Hitmonchan, Alakazam, Clefable, Snorlax, and Mewtwo.--Mewtwo!" Jesse stood up.

"James! The must be the other one!" 

"Oh, the auction, I was afriad that you would see that." 

"Listen, this must be the other one Two told me about! I'm going to that Auction!" She ran down to his end. 

"You can't. I'm the only only one that can." He looked up at her and cowered in his chair. 

"Well, then you're going!" 

"But what if I don't win?" 

"Then steal it!" She grabbed his collar. "You're a Rocket remember! We didn't go to all those training lessons for nothing!" 

"Yes Jesse." James gulped. "But I'm a little rusty...   
  
**********************************   
  
"We shall start the bidding at One Million Dollars." 

"One Million." 

"Two-" 

"Five-" 

"Seven--" James shouted. 

"Ten--" 

"Fifteen-" 

"Sixteen--" 

"Eighteen--" James didn't expect the competition to be this harsh. 

"Twenty Million" Came a commanding voice. 

"Twenty one!" James. 

"Twenty five." 

James tried to concentrate. "Twenty Eight Million." 

The voice came again. "Fifty Million." 

The crowd whistled. 

James winced. "Alright then...Fifty million and fifty cents!" 

The crowd giggled a bit. 

"Please." The voice said. "Fifty one--" 

"And fifty cents!" 

"Fifty five--" 

"And..." James growled. "Fifty cents." 

"One hundred Million Dollars." The owner of the deep voice looked over at James. "And fifty cents." 

James fell silent. 

“Going once, Going twice...Sold! to Dr. Akagi for One Hundred Million Dollars and Fifty Cents." 

James collapsed in his chair. "Jesse's going to kill me." He cheered up suddenly. "That's right!" He stood up and left the room. "I'm a Rocket!"   
  
***************************************   
  
The lock was a brain teaser. As was the whole compound where all the prize Pokémon were kept. 

"Hey, hurry up!" 

"Huh?" James snapped around. "Who are you?" 

"Look, I'm here for the same reason you are, so just hurry up with the lock." 

"Okay," James finished picking the lock, he hated his clumsy hands. Locks just melted under Jesse's fingers. The door swung open and a thief along with a grate fell to the floor before him. 

"You guys took the hard way in." 

"Yo! Can you keep it down?!" 

James looked through the blackness. "How many thieves are in here?" 

"Where's the Two?" 

"I dunno, I haven't seen the ball anywhere." 

"This is crazy." James took out a pair of night vision goggles and put them on. All he got was bright green. _Wait..That means somebody turned on the lights..._

"ALRIGHT! PARTY'S OVER!" 

James took the goggles off and looked around. Somebody had indeed turned on the lights. There must have been about twenty thieves in the room going through the shelves James hadn't even seen. 

The door slammed shut behind him. 

"Honestly! I appreciate members of the Underground League staying in practice, but this is ridiculous!" A member of Team Rocket stepped into the center lighted room with two other girls at her side armed with Ice Guns. the one who was talking had teal-colorer hair and red/brown eyes. The girls at her side had red hair and blond hair. James wondered if it was common practice for Cassidy to send out Teams in the primary colors. "Now for those of you who don't know, I'm Gayle. If you're looking for the Mewtwo, her buyer already got her."   
There was a few disappointed moans. 

"As for the rest of ya, I'm closing my eyes for ten seconds. Those of you who don't make it out in ten second will be barred from the Underground for three months, understand?" She turned around. "One!" 

James had to dodge the sudden rush of Black-Clad thieves making their way for the door. 

"Three..." 

He was shoved over. "Move it gramps!" 

"Gramps?!" 

"Five..." 

James looked to the side and saw a box on the floor with a Rose Badge in it. 

"Seven.." 

He stuffed it in his pocket then stood up. 

"Nine." 

His hand touched the door knob. 

"Ten." Gayle turned around. "Alright blue-haired one." 

James looked around, he was the only one left. 

"Oh! James Kojiro, What a surprise." Gayle smiled. "Come with me." 

"Great." James was led up a hall. Memories of walking these halls for most of his life came back to him. It felt oddly like home. They continued up the halls until Gayle stopped him before a large door, then knocked lightly. 

"Boss?" 

"Come in." 

James followed Gayle into a spacious office. A huge leather chair swung around. "Cassidy?" 

"Well now Gayle, you should have given him fifteen, eh gramps?" 

"I'm not that old!" 

"Easy, you're not the only one going a little grey." 

"Only a little." James snapped. 

"You get cuter with age, but you need to get in shape." Cassidy waved a delicate hand. "Sit."   
James sat down. 

"I won't bar you, this is only a warning this time. What were you after?" 

"The Mewtwo." 

"Oh Candy..." Cassidy sat back in her chair. "I know what you were planning, but I can't help. Tell Jesse I said Hi."   
  
*******************************   
  
_New voices, new smells. I have yet ANOTHER trainer. What is this? My seventh one?_

"Daddy, what kind did you get?" 

"A very special one." 

_Okay, so he has a nice voice, that's the only thing going for him._

"Now stand back, I'm going to let it out." 

_It...Why must I be an It? I have a name!_

Sudden relief from the cramped Ultra-Ball, followed by nausea. Soft grass crunched under her fingers and feet. Candy hated being on all fours. She turned and cut her eyes at her new Trainer. _What?_

"Well, you do have an attitude." He watched her stand up. 

_Alright, what am I supposed to fight?_

"Fight?" 

_Yes thats why you let me out of that round prison isn't it?_

"I wanted to get a look at you. And explain my terms, you seem intelligent." He pushed his black hair back. "My name is Dr. Akagi, your's is....." 

_Candy._

"Candy? Yes… Candy. This is my home. You may run free, but I train twice a day. You will compete in the Underground League games. They aren't like the ones you're used to. I'll teach you how to give it your all. Because in the Underground, you don't fight till you faint, you fight until you die." 

_You're Crazy._

"Maybe, you may rest today, eat off any of the trees I have on the property, tomorrow morning, training begins." 

Candy looked up. _Sky..._ She launched into the air and headed for the clouds. _I don't care where I end up, just as long as it's not here!_ Electricity suddenly coursed through her body, paralyzing her. _Can't move....Why can't he just let me go..._ She started falling, huge arms caught her. _A Charizard?_

Dr Akagi watched his Charizard land and patted the Raichu's head next to him. "Need I state the obvious?" 

Candy turned away from him. _No._   
  
***************************************   
  
"I'm sorry Two, we really tried, but this idiot had to go blow it all!" Jesse smacked James on the head. 

"Jesse! It's not my fault he already picked it up!" 

"You could have out-bid him!" 

_Calm down both of you._ Mew2 sat down with his coffee. _It's not enough that you woke me with that helicopter, but your bikering is twice as annoying._

"Sorry." Jesse regained herself while James smoothed his hair. 

_At least we've managed to get a vauge location on her._

"Location on who?" Esper entered the kitchen and felt along the counter top untill Mew2 stood up and led her to the table. 

"Good morning Island Girl." 

"Good morning." She reached up and kissed his cheek, then followed it up by a nudge. 

"Awwww..." James leaned on his hands. 

Esper sat down next to Mew2. Mew2 sat down after her and then looped his tail around hers. _Jesse and James think that they've found Candy.  
_

_Where?_ She turned toward him. 

"We're not sure yet, but we're working on getting her exact location." Jesse put he magaine on the table. "She was auctioned in the Underground, and now is in the posesion of Dr Akagi, a little-known pokemon expert. We're pretty sure he's going to use her to battle." 

"The Underground League battles are to the death." 

Mew2 felt Esper's tail tighten around his own. _I know..._ He said only to her, then to everyone. _James, you're going to become a contestant in the Underground League._

"What? But I--" 

_I'll let you use my pokemon. Charizard will be more than happy to._

"But--" 

_We must find Candy at all costs. By being a contestant you'll have the inside track, when you find her tell me._

"I guess." James looked at Jesse then at Esper. "Oh, I found this." He put the Rose Badge on the table in front of Mew2. "I guess the auctioned it off." 

_My badge._ He looked it over. _I wonder how they got it, it is one of mine. Thank you. Only three people have one won one._

"Mew2?" James spoke up. 

_Yes?_

"I need you to show me how to be a better trainer."   
  
******   
  
Candy raised her head and deflected a Fire-Blast, she turned around and let go with a swift, it slammed into the Charizard, who shook it off then withdrew. 

"Good Job Pyro." Dr Akagi called his Charizard back. "You did well today Candy, no more fighting for today. Tomorrow you rest, because tomorrow night, you go for your first ND battle." 

_N.D.?_

"Near-death. You don't kill them, but you come close." 

Candy looked away. _I see._

"I'm counting on you Candy." 

_Whatever._   
  
*************************************   
  
It was too easy. They all fell before her, one by one. All hitting the ground at the onslaught of her attacks. Dr Akagi was pleased. She had quickly become his new favorite. Candy fought her way up the chain of ND fights and reached the entry-level death matches. 

There was another Trainer who was also fighting his way up. A man named James who had an extremely powerful Charizard with strange markings. 

Then the inevitable day came when Dr Akag faced James. It was a day that changed Candy's life. 

James stood nervously in the trainers box. He had a masterball in hand and a plan in his mind that Mew2 had gone over eariler with him. Dr Akagi stood in his box, and let Candy out of her ball. 

"Candy, get him!" 

Candy looked over her shoulder at him, then around the room from the floor. She had been fight for days on end without rest. Akagi said that if she survived this one, she could rest. _Just one more battle… Just one more…_

James looked around the warehouse. There were so many spectators for this match. Part of him didn't want to let these people down, but he still wanted to help Candy. He raised the ball, and tossed it. "Go Mew2!" 

Mew2 came from the ball and settled on the floor. Candy was in complete shock. 

_I thought I was the only one..._

Mew2 smiled. _Esper says hi.  
_

_Esper?? She's alive?!_ Candy stood up fully. 

"Candy!" 

_You don't have to do this you know. Come with me.  
_

_No! I need to fight! Fighting is my life!! It's all I'm good for!  
_

_No...You have worth beside what this human wants from you. Come with me now. I need your answer._

"Candy! What are you waiting for?!" 

_Please. I offer you freedom._ Mew2 held his hand out. 

Candy looked back at Akagi, then back up at Mew2. _Yes._

Mew2 grabbed her hand then looked back at James. "NOW!!" 

James threw half a dozen smoke bombs in the air along with the Master-Ball. The bombs exploded and filled the room with blue smoke. Mew2 caught the ball and grabbed Candy's arm. 

_No! What are you…  
_

_Trust me!_ Mew2 pulled Cany inside the Master-Ball as the smoke started getting thicker. The whole warehouse was in an uproar. 

"Thevies!" Dr Akagi's voice came through. 

_James!_

"Over here!" James felt Mew'2 hand on his shoulder. 

_On my back!_

"Oh not that again!" 

_Just do it!_

"Go Pyro!" 

"Rrrrooaarrr!" 

_Oh great._

"Pyro whirlwind!" 

The smoke was blown away, leaving Mew2 holding a Master-Ball and James on his back.   
"Pyro!" 

_Over my dead body._ Mew2 created a black monster ball in his hand, then threw it at the Charizard. _I just stole a Pokemon… This is going to go over well with the League…_

"Hey!" Dr Akagi shouted. 

"You want him back? Came to New Island." Mew2 shot upward and broke through the cleing of the warehouse. 

James held on for dear life as the ground fell away beneath him. “C... can we land soon?" 

_Not until I get back to New Island. Now just stay still an enjoy the ride._

“Yes… S… Sir.."   
  
******  
  
"Now which-a ball be Candy?" Esper felt the two Pokeballs in her hands which were roughly the same size. 

"The one in your right hand." 

Esper put the one in her left hand down, then opened the ball. 

Candy looked up from the floor. _Esper??_

_Candy?_ Esper tilted her head. 

_Esper!_ Candy jumped up and tackled Esper to the ground and hugged her fiercely. _I can't believe it's you!!_

"I a-missed you too." Esper laughed. 

_Who is this?_ Candy looked at Mew2. 

"Dat is my husband." Esper stood up, then felt Mew2's arms close around her. "Brock jokes by calling us a breeding pair." 

_Brock?_

"We have a lot to fill her in on Esper." Mew2 held an arm out to Candy. "Welcome to our family. Are you hungry?" 

_Yeah..._ Candy gladly gave into his embrace, then felt Esper hold her close as well. _This is like a dream._   
  
******   
  
"So I told him he should just go ahead and try it. Lo and Behold, we got single. Cool how things work out." 

"Yes." Mew2 turned and looked at L2. "When did you get another earring?" 

"Oh a month ago, you like it?" He tilted his head so it glittered. 

Mew2 shook his head. "I give up." 

"Sorry I was on tour for so long and the satellite was down so…” He changed the subject again.

"Where's this person you want me to meet?" 

Mew2 smiled and put an arm around L2's shoulders, then opened the huge double doors leading to the main hall. _That pastel beauty right over there._

L2 looked over at the fountain at the base of the steps, and his jaw dropped. _Two other Mewtwo’s?? How… When… Why didn't you tell me?!  
_

_I found Esper about 3 weeks ago. Candy just arrived yesterday. They've heard all about you.  
_

_Why din't you tell me?  
_

_You were busy._

L2 groaned. _Touché._

_Well, pick up your jaw and let’s go meet them._ Mew2 hit L2's arm then led him to the fountain. _Esper, Candy,_

"Hello." Candy stood up. "You must be L2." 

“Yeah... I mean, Hi." 

Candy smirked. 

L2 turned and looked at Esper. "Hello." 

"I've heard so much about you." Esper felt his hand take hers. She ran her hand over his face, then gasped. 

"You feel familiar..." L2 sighed as he felt her hand on his cheek. "I know you." 

Esper took her hand away. "Yes. Yes you do." 

L2 looked into her eyes, then sat down on the ground before her. _It's her..._

_Esper?  
_

_Mmmm… Yes Two?  
_

_Why don't we leave L2 and Candy alone for a few?  
_

_I'm coming… I have something to tell you._ Esper stood and let her hand slide along L2's cheek, then reached out and found Mew2's hand. 

Mew2 led her up to their room, then the study attached to it. "Now what was it you needed to tell me?" 

Esper leaned against him. "Remember when I told you about my other life?" 

"Yes." 

She gave into his embrace. "I didn't tell you all of it." 

"Oh?" 

Mew2 felt her grow a little sad. "I was originally created for only one purpose. To give birth to one of our kind. I was the only one to survive the delivery, even though it almost killed me." 

“Why…” _Man, just when you think you know somebody..._

"I had a child. They took it away from me before I could even hold it. I was still alive, so they had me fight." Esper could feel tears coming on. 

Mew2 found himself lost in silence. After a moment he finally managed to stammer. "Do you know if it survived?" 

"Yes." Esper smiled. "Yes it survived." Her next words made him question everything he had ever known. "You raised our son very well." 

“Our... L2?" 

"Yes." Esper smiled. "Our L2. He knows it. I know it, and now, so do you." 

Mew2 pulled her closer again. "You never cease to amaze me Island Girl."   
  
******   
  
Candy looked around the main hall. L2 was sitting next to her talking about something. She didn't care. She had tuned him out long ago. Esper was happy with Mew2, and even though she was now free, she still felt the urge to roam. Candy felt alone, even though there was another of her kind right here talking, talking... 

_This boy must have lungs of steel, does he even stop to breathe?_

"It's really a lot of fun, I'm sure you'd enjoy it…” 

_Does he even realize that I'm not paying attention?_

"I bet you have a wonderful voice, can I hear you talk?" 

Silence. 

Candy sensed that her companion had finally shut-up for god knew what reasons. _Oh, did you want something?_

"Can you talk with you mouth?" 

"Mew Two Two..." Candy groaned. _There._

"Wow." L2 blinked. 

_Look, you can go ahead and haul you happy butt on out of here._

"Pardon?" 

_Can't you see? This is a set-up. Sorry, But I'm not going to fall madly in love with you because Two left us alone._

"I never expected you too." 

_So get lost._

“Get… Lost?" 

_Yeah. Go… Away…_

“But…” 

_What part of "shoo" didn't you understand?_

"You never said Shoo." 

_Idiot, leave me be._

“Idi… I didn't mean to offend you." 

_Well you did, now get._

"Were you always this bitter?" L2 scooted away. "Not very lady-like of you." 

Candy looked at him coldly. _Oh, and what’s Lady-like?_

"Well," 

_Is this lady-like?_ She reared up and kicked him. 

"Hey!" L2 was caught off-guard and rolled down the small set of stairs. "What was that for?" 

_How about this?!_

L2 scrambled away as she released a psychic blast after him. "I didn't ask for this, cool it!" 

_You didn't have to ask for it, you deserve it._

"I try to be nice and you attack me?" 

_I know what you're getting at. I don't want you. Now leave!_

"Hello! I live here!" 

_Oh rejoice, I have to look at your ugly face everyday._

L2 picked himself up. "You're a real bitch you know that?" 

_You are so dead._ Candy's eyes started glowing. 

"Don't bother wasting your time." L2 glared at her. "You know, I though that you were pretty, but your crappy attitude changed all that. Dad should just throw you back where he got you from."   
Candy froze. So much hate and contempt was building inside of her. _You… You have no idea…_

"What I just said? It?" 

Candy gritted her teeth, a tear ran down her cheek. 

"I don't feel sorry. IT." 

_You bastard._

"Better than being a bitch." L2 stalked off. 

Candy felt another tear roll down her face. Never had she felt so much pain. _Fine, I don't need him, I don't need anyone._   
  
******   
  
"You can't force me to like her dad." 

“She…” 

"She attacked me! If she wants to be hateful about it, fine, let her rot!” L2 felt his cheek sting with a sudden slap. 

_I raised you better than that._

L2 glared at Mew2. _Get out of my studio before I have security remove you.  
_

_You're being an asshole. Besides, I'd like to see them try it._ Mew2 rested his gaze on L2. _If you want me out of your sight so badly, do it yourself._

L2 looked away, then punched the mixing board. _How could something this stupid come between us?_ L2 looked back up. _I'm sorry.  
_

_It's forgiven.  
_

_My face hurts.  
_

_It'll fade.  
_

_If you think she won't mind, I'd like to have Candy live with me for awhile. Maybe I can still salvage a friendship out of this.  
_

_I'll talk to her.  
_

_Thanks Dad. I'm sorry.  
_

_Hey, I'm an idiot sometimes too._   
  
******   
  
Mew2 looked up from his book when his Charizard bugled. 

_Company?_

Two more loud roars. 

"I swear, dat ding dinks he owns dat tower." Esper groaned. 

"For the most part he does." Mew2 put the book down, and activate the veiw screen. "I summon Fearow." 

His Charizard lifted a foot as a trapdoor opened on the tower and a Fearow flew out with a small collar on. 

_Fearow, make a few circles and see who's coming._

"Two appointments to-dey right?" 

_Yes, maybe it's them._ Mew2 reached to his side and stroked Esper's head. 

"You need to stop dat." She leaned into his hand. "I'm not a pet." 

_Then why are you purring?_ He looked back at the screen. _Fearow, sweep towards the ferry, I want to see who's on it._

"What do you see?" Esper asked. 

_Four figures on board, no six, two more just came out. Ah... the Elite Four, and Dr Akagi, probably come for his Charizard. Fearow, show me the back of the ship. There's my trianers. They look pale._

Esper went silently back to her braile book. 

Mew2 stood up. _I'll be down stairs. Where's Candy?_

"Out for a little swim." Esper turned the page. "I be down soon." 

Mew2 nudged her, then hopped off. He waited in the main hall until Bruno of the Elite Four pushed open his doors. _Welcome._

"You're in a little trouble Mew2." Lance came forward. 

"What is this about stealing Pokémon?" Lorelie stood behind him. 

_Dr Akagi may have his Charizard back._ Mew2 summoned the ball with the Charizard. _However, I must warn the members of the Elite Four,_ _I took this Pokemon for both my safety and it's own. Keep in mind. This is the condition in which I caught it, I did nothing to it._ Mew2 opened the ball and the Charizard formed on the floor. The Elite Four gasped. 

Py-ro lay on the floor breatheing heavily, bleeding from numerous cuts and deep gashes on his hide, along with several burns. The flame on his tail was little more than what a match would produce. Mew2 heard his Nurse Joy make a run for her lab to gather necessary supplies. 

"How could you let a Pokemon reach this conditon?" Gary along with Umbreon ran to Py-ro's side. 

_It's called the Underground League. Instead of fighting to a faint, they fight to the death. Py-ro here is a champion, so called because he is still alive._

"You don't deserve to keep this Pokemon." Lorelie backed away from Dr Akagi. 

"I second that." Lance stepped forward. "Gary? Bruno?" 

They nodded. 

Lance stood up straighter. "As leader of the Elite Four, I hear-by with draw your Pokemon handler's license." 

"Fine. Take him." Dr Akagi kicked Py-ro. The Charizard seemed more hurt by the kick from its master than by all the cuts on its body. "But I came for the one I paid for." 

"You won't get her." Mew2 stated simply. 

"She's legally mine. Have a desire to get arrested?" 

_What is this moron doing here?_ Candy entered the room drying off with a towel. 

"Candy! Return!" Akagi shouted. 

Candy looked at him and laughed. _I'd rather kill myself than work for you again._

"You ungrateful…” 

_Watch it._ Candy lifted her hand and he flew backward into the doors. "I know what I am now. I know what I can do. 

_Don't get cocky._ Mew2 warned. 

_What will you do? Kick me out?  
_

_Quite easily.  
_

_Is that a threat?  
_

_We'll discuss this later.  
_

_No, we can discuss it NOW.  
_

_No._ Mew2 held the ball out and caught Candy in it. _Later._ He turned back to his guests. _I apologize for that. I'll take care of Pyro._

Akagi hissed. "Oh, and where will you keep him?" 

Charizard bugled. 

_Well, I do have another tower..._   
  
******   
  
"Thanks." Jessi accepted the package she had just signed for. "Hey L2, It's from your Dad!" 

"Bring it in." L2 looked over his shoulder as Jessi leaned backward over the couch. The box she was holding said "Fragile." 

"I wonder what's in it?" She started shaking it. 

"Hey, hey! Stop it!" L2 took the box away. "Lets see..." He took a letter from the inside.   
  
_L2,  
Here's Candy, hopefully you can tame her a bit more than I did. Take care, be considerate and good luck.   
2_   
  
"He sent her through the MAIL??" L2 pulled the black monster ball out of the packaging.

“Uh… Candy I choose you." 

"Candy? Who's Candy?" 

Candy materialized half-on the coffee table and mad as a wet hen. _Arrgggh!! I'm going to kill him! How dare he even consider… Oh Hi L2._

"I take it you pissed Dad off." 

_He said I have to stay here! Is that true?!_

"I requested it." 

_I can't believe it, he just… that's it, I'm leaving._

"Candy, put up with me for two weeks, and you can go back. I know we got off on the wrong foot, you don't have to like me, hell I don't even have to like you, but you need to work on your people skills." 

_I don't need People Skills, I'm a Pokémon!_

"You were never trained were you?" 

_I don't need it!_

"Yes you do." L2 sighed. "Fine. Do whatever you want. Go get killed." 

_I won't killed or captured._ She went to the balcony and flew off, cutting close to a few buildings. 

Jessi blinked. "Okay, what was that, and what just happened?" 

"That was Candy, and she's a big problem."   
  
******   
  
Candy floated up the street looking in shops and scaring the daylights out of people. _That's right good little humans, get out of my way._

**"Eeek I heard you were hard to handle, but I didn't expect this."**

_Who?_ Candy snapped around. _Who was that?_

**"Up here."**

_Where?_

**"On the building dummy."**

_Dummy? You'll pay for that._

**"You're acting like a confused Raichu, just pushing everything away."**

_I'm not confused!_ She flew up the side of the building looking for who ever it was that was talking to her. 

"Yeah, you're not confused, just scared." 

_I am NOT scared! I fear nothing!_

**"Then why are you scared of yourself, why do you flinch when the wind blows on your skin?"**

_Who are you?!_ She ran along the roof top. 

**"I'm the one who's gonna save you."**   
  
******   
  
"That was a good movie huh?" Jessi said as they left the theater. 

"Yeah." L2 said softly. 

"Hey, what's wrong?" 

"I'm worried about Candy. She's been gone for three days. Dad hasn't even heard from her, and I haven't seen her. I hope she didn't get captured." L2 sighed. 

Jessi looked away. "You care for her don't you?" 

“I…" 

She looked back at him and smiled sadly. "Do me a favor." She took his hand. "If things do work out between you and Candy, promise that you'll always love me." 

"I always will love you." L2 brought her tiny hand to the diamond Locket around his neck.

"Open it." 

Jessi pulled it open and looked at the picture of Jamie and one of herself. 

"The two most important girls in my life, right by my heart." 

Jessi closed it. "Go look for Candy. I know that you two will be happy." 

"But Jess," 

"I'll always love you, you'll always love me." 

"Candy hates me." 

"No woman who hated somebody as much as she puts on would have that look in her eyes." She kissed L2's nose. "Go get her." 

L2 suddenly hugged her. "Jess, you'll always be first and foremost in my heart." 

"Oh don't start crying, you'll get me started…" 

"I love you Jess."   
  
******   
  
Candy took in slow measured breaths and did her best to remain still. She hadn't eaten for three days, an it was taking its toll on her. A few trainers had attacked her out of fear, a haunter had poisoned her and she ran. Her body had collapsed here, and stayed since. She was laying in an alley buried in trash, trying to stay still to stop the poison moving through her body. 

"Hey this is a good spot." 

"Yeah." 

Two teens stopped and kneeled looking through what looked like a pillow case. 

"I hope I got all that ladies Jewelry." 

"You should've snagged her credit card." 

_Thieves..._ Candy sighed, her body shifted a little. A can rolled off the trash heap an rattled away. 

"What was that?" A boy turned around. 

"What kind of Pokemon is that?" 

"I don't know, but I want to catch it." 

_No!_ Candy saw the ball head her way, she painfully sat up and batted it away with her tail. Her veins started burning as the poison took more effect on her. 

"Maybe it isn't weak enough." He threw another ball. "Get it Arbok!" 

_I won't be caught! I'll die first!_

"Arbok! Poison sting!" 

Candy seemed to move in slow motion. The Arbok's mouth affixed to her leg, it's fangs diving deeper. _I can't move..._

"Go Pokeball!" 

She managed to bat it away. 

"Arbok return! Go Magnimite!" 

Candy tried to get away, her whole leg had gone numb. 

"Thunderwave!" 

The electricity ran through her body. _I can't move! I can't move!!_

"Looks like you got it!" 

“Poké-Ball, go!" 

Candy couldn't raise her arm. The ball missed and smashed against the wall. 

"If that ain't bad luck!" 

"I'l try it again, Poké-Ball Go!" 

Candy closed her eyes expecting the worst. When nothing was happening, she opened them to find a pair of white feet standing in front of her. The boys were hovering in the air. 

L2 dropped them, them let them get away. He turned around and kneeled. _Are you alright_

_Candy?  
_

_Leave me._

L2 slid his arms under her back and picked her up. _No… First lesson about this family, we don't abandon each other._

Candy felt consciousness slipping, she grabbed tightly to his arm. _L2!_

_It's alright to faint… Let go.  
_

_To faint is to die!  
_

_Not when I'm here._ He saw the struggle in her eyes. _Just let go.  
_

_I...  
_

_Don't make me put you out myself._

Candy's eyelids fluttered, then her body relaxed in his arms. 

_She's really badly poisoned…_ L2 started flying full speed up the street, then stopped at the Pokémon center. He couldn't get over how she felt in his arms, even though she had fainted, the smell of her skin, even the sound of her mental voice. 

"Hello L2!" Nurse Joy smiled and said, then looked at the limp blue body in his arms. 

L2 looked up at Nurse Joy with sad eyes. _Help her please..._   
  
******   
  
Candy's eyes opened slowly. "Where am I?" 

"I thought you were awake." L2 came into the room carrying a tray. "Hungry?" She looked so cute sitting on the bed, even though her eyes were stern, L2 wondered for a moment how it would be to wake up with her beside him… He pushed the thought away. 

_You should have left me._

"I told you, no." L2 set the tray down on a table. "You like to fight don't you?" 

_Yes, problem?_

"No, it's just that Dad's offered to train you, but you have to stay and put up with me for Two weeks first." L2 picked up a little syringe from off the tray. "If you can do that, you can go. I won't bother you again." 

_I can go back to New Island, no questions asked? I can be with Mew2?_

"Do whatever you want, I don't care." L2 took her arm and gently slid the needle under her skin.

"This is antidote. It'll help your system fight off the rest of the poison." 

_You aren't angry that I like Mew2 more than you?_

"No. IF he decides to take you on a second wife, it's none of my business. Why not in fact. Pikachu average out about three mates each I guess a tradition has to be started somewhere." He pulled the needle out. "I know I can't change you opinion of me, but put up with me for two weeks, and you're free to go." 

Candy rubbed her arm. _And the food?_

"Here." L2 put the tray before her. "I'm going home. Nurse Joy said that I could come pick you up tomorrow. I'll be here at 10:00." 

Candy watched him leave the room. A sudden silence closed in. She could hear her heartbeat and breah leave her. She hated this kind of silence. She knew Esper would never know this kind of silence. Esper was always alert for evey last little noise. Esper… In Mew2's arms. It must be nice to curl up in the arms of another. Candy wandered brifely what it must be like to spend a night with Mew2. She remembered hugging him feeling his muscles ripple beneath his smooth skin. Then there was that same sensation last night when L2 had picked her up, when he held her in his arms.... 

Candy looked up at the clock. Only two minutes had passed. 

_I can't be missing him._   
  
***************************************   
  
L2 carefully took his guitar away from Jessi, and threw the strap over his shoulder. He adjusted the microphone then looked at the rest of his band. "Jamie, Leon, could you two just stop necking for one rehearsal session?" 

"Sorry." Jamie stood behind her keyboards. Leon went back to the mixing booth. 

"Okay, on the count of five," 

The drummer starting beating his sticks together, creating high pitched clicking noises. Candy winced on every one, then folded her ears back against her head when the band went in full swing. _And I'm sitting in the booth, Imagine what it's like out in the studio..._

Candy looked at Leon who was sliding the bars up and down as if it was some exotic from of Piano. She looked back out in the studio as the music softened to only one guitar playing lightly and keyboards. L2 grabbed the Microphone before him and started singing. 

Everything started back in full force. L2 was jumping around like a maniac and screaming. His words were barely able to be made out. Candy looked at the lyric sheets scattered on the floor and on the counter before her. _How can he make sence of all this?_

After she was sure all the music had stopped, she ventured to look back up in the studio. L2 was drinking some water, and the band was putting things away. _How long have I been sitting here?_

"Okay, we got it. Ready for your touch L2." Leon said over the loud intercom. 

L2 came into the small booth, grabbed is headset, and went back to the studio. 

_I hate being baby-sat._ Candy sat still for another few hours, then left the studio when he did. 

When they arrived home, she ventured to ask: _So what do we do now oh fearless leader?_

L2 led her down a flight of steps. The bottom floors below his house had finally been up for grabs, and now they were being converted to his own private studio. "Right now, you're getting in the Studio and singing." 

_Sing what? All I can say is Mewtwo!_

"That's what we're going to work on." L2 sat down in a newly built booth and pressed a headset on Candy's head. "We are not going to rest until you have command of People speak." 

_That is going to take forever!_

"If that's what it's going to take, so be it. You can say it in your mind, and soon you will say it with your mouth. Now get in there." 

Candy stood behind a microphone. _Okay, now what?_

"Go 'ahhhhhhh'." L2 sang. 

Candy looked at the mic. "mmeeeewwww.." 

"No, open your mouth, then speak." 

"eeeewwww.." 

"Relax a bit." 

"Eaaeaeaeaww." 

"Okay, you felt how your throat changed?" 

_Yes._

"Now make it change." 

"eeaaaaaaa." 

"Good, now Ahhhhhh..." 

“Ea…" Candy closed her eyes and thought for a moment. 

L2 smiled triumphantly as she hit the note perfectly. "Very good, now let’s continue."   
  
******   
  
Candy looked at the lyric sheet L2 had placed before her. "I can't sing this!" 

"Yes you can. DO it." 

Candy adjusted her headphones. _I can't believe it...He's been doing this with me all week. I can talk yes, but not much else, why oh why did I ever put those headphones on the first night?_ She tried to sing the first line. 

“NO! I CAN'T DO IT!!" 

"Well you will!" 

"No I won't!" She threw the papers down. "You're a lousy writer!" 

"Excuse me?" L2 stepped out of the booth. 

"Yeah, you taught me to talk, but my two weeks is up tomorrow! At least then I'll be with Mew2!" 

"How many times too I have to tell you that I don't care?" L2 folded his arms. 

"I know you care. I know it eats you up that I hate you, don't think that I haven't heard you talking to Jessi about me a few nights ago!" 

L2's tail thrashed wildly. He had confessed to Jessi that besides Candy acting like a total bitch, she was really starting to grow on him, and that he liked her, even as far as loving her. 

"Face it. Mew2's better than you on all levels. Better fighter, better survivor, probably a better kisser too." 

"I don't see how you can make that judgement about either of us. God knows I wouldn't touch you with a ten foot pole." 

Candy gritted her teeth. 

"Oh this is surprising. You bitch me out, I say something back, and you get pissed. Get a new routine Candy." L2 turned around. "You know your way out." 

Candy pounced at him. This was the last straw. L2 turned around and ducked, then up with his tail knocking her back into the studio. _"I AM TIRED OF YOU ATTACKING ME CANDY!"_ He screamed through gritted teeth. _"I HAVE HAD MORE THAN I CAN TAKE!"_

Candy back away from him suddenly. She had pushed him too far and she was sure nothing would stop him from killing her. 

L2 followed her around the room, his eyes glowing blue. 

"I'm sorry!" Candy said without realizing it. 

L2 pushed his anger back. _Why does she fear me?_ He knelt next to her. Candy was backed up against the wall with her eyes closed. L2 reached out and touched her arm. "Hey, I'm sor…” 

"Don't hurt me! I'm sorry!" 

"Don't hurt… Just what do you think I am?" L2 took both her shoulder in his hands. Candy kicked and tried attacking him. "Stop it! Stop!" 

“Don’t…" 

L2 silenced her lips with his own. She was still fighting, but not as much. He didn't let go even though he was sure there were a few good rips down his leg right now. Her arms reached up and pulled him closer. _So this was all she needed, someone to make her feel important, somebody to love her no matter how bad things got..._ Her chest rose and fell against his. 

After a moment L2 pulled away. He stood up and walked silently from the studio. 

"L2?" Candy slowly pulled herself to her feet. The fact that L2 had just kissed her hit her with the force of a bullet train. She walked up the stairs to the house and found him in his office staring out the windows. "L2?" 

"You are free to go to New Island now." 

"I have two more days." 

"I crossed a line that I didn't want to. I'm sorry for that." 

Candy looked at his back. He had never been so cold to her before. “But... You’ve... I've never been kissed..." 

"Don't be so infatuated with the moment that you lose sight of your true goals." He looked over his shoulder at her. 

_Please don't look at me like that… It hurts..._ Candy didn't like how his eyes had lost their kindness and now were harsh and stern. 

"I'm giving you a choice. If you turn around and go back to the studio, I won't ask question, then you may go back to New Island. If you come over here, nothing will stop me from claiming you." 

Candy looked at his back. Only the tip of his tail seemed to twitch. "Have you always felt that way?"

"It was a daily struggle not to touch you. Not to hold you, or even express to you my feelings. If you sincerely want to be my fathers mate, then go back to the studio." He felt her small arm curl around his. "Are you sure this is your choice?" 

"Yes." Candy looked to the floor. Here she had wanted love and it was right in front of her this entire time. 

L2 traced the curve of her jaw and tilted her head toward his. Candy let herself become lost in his embrace and kiss.


	3. The Next Generation

"Shh...He's rolling this way." 

"Stand back." 

Another pair of eyes peeked up over the edge of the bed. "WAKE UP DAD!!" 

Mew2 slammed his eyes open, then looked at the three little heads peering up over the edge of the bed. 

"Man Darla! We were gonna play with him!" 

_Thank you for waking me up Darla_ Mew2 said to himself. _I would have freaked if I woke up with bows on my ears again..._

"Shut up Ana!" 

"I'm not listening, I'm not listening!" Amber had her fingers in her ears. 

Mew2 sighed as the high pitched voices argued with each other around him. He finally shook his head as if to clear the sound. "Quiet!" 

They instantly stopped and stood at attention. 

"Sorry." 

"Sorry," 

"Sorry!" 

Mew2 sat up, trying to pull himself out of the huge hammock gracefully. "Where's your mother?" 

"Downstairs," 

"It was her idea," 

"To wake you up." 

Mew2 sighed and reached for a pack of cigarettes. 

"Mom said you had to quit." Ana spoke up. 

"Well mom's not here is she?" He narrowed his eyes at his three offspring. "But you are." 

Amber squealed and started hopping away. Mew2's arms shot out and captured her yellow body. He pulled her back onto the bed and started tickling her. 

"Dad!" Amber laughed. "Stop it! Ha ha! Stop it!" 

"Let go!" 

"Yeah!" 

Mew2 was suddenly gang stomped by three little bodies and tails, not to mention ear piercing giggles and screams. 

"Alright! Alright! I give! I give!" Mew2 sat up and set Amber back down on the floor. The two others slid off his back. "Tell your mom I'll be down in a minute." 

"Okay," 

"Okay," 

"Okay!" 

Mew2 watched all the multi-colored forms head for the door. "Hey!" He leaned over. "You forgot something." 

Ana turned around and kissed his cheek. "Love you Dad." Mew2 planted one on her pink head. 

Amber kissed his cheek. "Love you Dad." Another one on her yellow skin. 

Darla kissed his other cheek. "Love you Dad." Mew2 looked her slightly pastel green skin over and kissed her head. 

He sat back and smiled as they left the room in a flurry of giggles. _Three kids… Not one, not twins, but triplets...I love them all so much._ He then flopped back on the bed with another realization. "Of all the things the powers could have blessed me with, it had to be triplets."   
  
******   
  
"So I just said to let it go. I'm going to miss them but it looks like they'll do better elsewhere." L2 held the phone to his shoulder while helping Laura to file papers. "So that was my weekend, how was yours Dad?" 

"Restful." He remembered this morning's little wake-up call. 

"Restful? Ah, that's something I haven't had in a while. Between Candy's second pregnancy and Rocky, it's been really hard. How’s Esper doing by the way?" 

Mew2 smiled them looked over at Esper across the room who was currently munching down on a few pieces of toast. "She's doing well. We can't wait for this new arrival." 

"Just hope it ain't another batch of triplets." L2 laughed. 

"Well, I do have a big enough palace." Mew2 looked around. "Hey uh, If Rocky becomes too much of a problem, I can handle him for a week or two." 

"Are you sure? I mean his powers developed kinda early." 

Mew2 listened as there was a loud squeal in the background followed by a cry of "Dad!" 

"Hold on a sec." L2 held the phone away from his face. "Rocky Two! For the last time! Stop metronome-ing your sister!!" 

"Yes dad!" 

L2 picked the phone back up to hear his father laughing. "If I had known it was custom for us Mewtwo’s to have fucking litters, I would seriously have reconsidered." 

Esper heard her husband fall out of his chair. "Two, is there something wrong?" 

Mew2 shook his head and sat back down. "No, I'm fine." 

"Dad!" Another squeal. Mew2 saw a small purple blur run over L2's shoulder in the veiw screen. Candy was seated on a couch with a rag on her head. 

"Hold on… Rocky Two I mean it!!" 

"But it wasn't my fault, she was in the way and I was trying to get a fly but she was getting in the way, and she wouldn't stop and the fly was all Buzzz, and I buzzzzed around after it and…” 

L2 held his head as Rocky's voice trailed off. "Dad, I'll pay you. Two weeks, two weeks..." 

"I'll do it." Mew2 smiled. 

A loud crash.

"R2!!"   
  
******   
  
The last time Mew2 had seen L2's kids was when they were born. Mewa was born solid white with three fingers, two toes (Or four if you counted both feet), Rocky was a light gray with three fingers, three toes, and a LONG tail. Over time Mewa turned a light violet, sort of like a light female version of himself, and as far as he knew, Rocky Two was still gray. 

The ferry left Rocky Two standing on the dock of New Island. Rocky walked carefully up the dock and stopped before a huge iron gate. He was the human equivalent of 8 years old, and this was his first visit to Grandpa's house. He was finally big enough to travel on his own, and a whole two weeks with grandpa was the ultimate joy. 

Rocky Two examined the lock, then put his hand over it. He could feel every little bolt and sliding knob on the inside. He moved a few and the lock fell away. The gate opened with a creak, and Rocky went up a long cave-like hallway. Mew2 watched Rocky on the monitors with interest, then went down to the main hall just as Rocky pushed open the huge double doors. 

Rocky looked up as Mew2 descended the spiral stair case by floating down. He walked up and smiled shyly. "Hi Grandpa." His voice told of his extreme curiosity. 

"Did you have a nice trip?" Mew2 was about to learn why L2 never asked his son _anything_ , not even his teachers asked him anything. Rocky was tiny, shorter than his sister, shorter than the Mew2 triplets. He had gone from gray to dark gray, almost like a faded black t-shirt. His tail and feet were solid jet black, and there was black around his eyes and on the tips of his ears. Who would have thought that soon this cute little short Mewtwo with big feet would soon open his mouth and the cuteness would pour in a never-ending flow. 

"How was my trip? Wow, gee..." Rocky Two blinked once, twice, and when he opened his mouth again, Mew2 regretted that he had said anything. "It started okay, but the the captain forgot something , so we had to go allll the way back around and I saw the waves and I started counting them, 1 wave 2 wave, 3 wave, but I got bored, and I feel asleep, I was dreaming about fighting and I was having fun, all powpowpow and swoosh! and I was dreaming about meeting you, and I thought it was sooo cool to have a gym leader for a grandpa, not that it's not cool having a rockstar for a dad, I got to meet all kinds of nice people, but I'm bleh-sick of hearing this one song that they had playing the whole way over, and Aunt Jessi's cool, she gives me Candy and I know she does it to shut me up, But I know she loves me even though she does it a lot, I love her like Dad does, and I couldn't wait to meet you--so in my dream I was fighting with a Jigglypuff, then a rrrr...Charizard, do you have a Charizard? Mom told me you had two, Charizard is my favorite, can I battle one? I'll do my best, just like in my dream and I was running and running I ran fast, I swim fast too, I love running and Swimming, but not as much as fighting, are you going to teach me?--SO I was dreaming and I woke up when all these sirens went off and I looked up and all these Fearow’s were circling the ferry, and the captain was trying to scare them away--Was that your Fearow? so this girl threw a fry at it and got ketchup everywhere, and on my arm and I said 'ewwww!' so she wiped it off my arm and shared her fries with me and I got her e-mail address--do you have a computer? I can use one you know--so she said that I was cute--do you think I'm cute? so I want to e-mail her back whenever I can, I think I was annoying the captain--am I annoying you? that's good because I annoy people when I say anything, but I know it'll take a lot to annoy you huh grandpa?--And then they dropped me off here and I opened the gate using my powers, can you teach me to use them a little better, then I followed this long hallway and I got here!" Rocky Two smiled and giggled. "Funny huh?" 

Mew2 blinked in shock. His cigarette had long since fallen out of his mouth. "Yeah, funny." 

Rocky Two blinked again. "So what do you wan t me to do?" 

“Uh... Go say hi to Grandma." 

"Say hi?" He blinked, tilting his head a little to the side. "Oh I can say hi to her along with other stuff, Dad says that I…" Rocky's voice trailed away as he hopped off. 

"Oh my god." Mew2 lit another cigarette and inhaled a little too deeply. "What did I get into ?"   
  
******************************************   
  
"Oh! Oh! Please say I can watch you fight! Huh? Can I watch you fight grandpa? I really like to fight, and I won't get in the way and I just want to be just like you, and I want to…” 

"Yes Rocky." Mew2 held his head. _Oh please! Just shut your mouth for one day!_

"Dad always said…” 

_May god grant me the power not to backhand him...Why? Why won't he shut up?_

“…So I said…” 

_What can I… Hey, he told me, Jessi would give him some candy..._

"And I was really excited--" 

Mew2 walked in to the kitchen and pulled down a jar full of small candies. Rocky followed him still talking. "Rocky here." 

"Oh wow! You have good candy Grandpa! Jessi never gave me candy like that!--I like Raspberry and cherry, and just a little bit of lemon lime--But I wish I had a jaw breaker, I like jaw breakers…” 

Mew2 unwrapped a piece and put it in his mouth. 

“Mmm...mmm...you," 

"Don't talk with something in your mouth. You might choke on it." _And we wouldn't want that..._

"Oh yeah!… thank you!" Rocky bounced away and out of the kitchen. 

"Hey!" Ana came in. "Why did he get candy?" 

"Here." Mew2 gave her three pieces. "Share with your sisters." 

Mew2 watched her bounce triumphantly out of the kitchen, then looked in the Jar. "What the hell." He pulled a piece out and put it in his mouth, then placed the Jar back up on the shelf. _I wonder if it was a good idea to put the normal candy next to the Rare Candy?...Oh well..._

Mew2 stepped out into the main hall to find Rocky talking to a woman. 

"Hey, and you're really pretty, I mean really really pretty, I don't think I'v ever seen anyone as pretty as you…” 

"R2." Mew2 warned. 

"Oh sorry grandpa, I didn't mean to annoy her, she's here to fight you so please don't beat her, she's too pretty." 

_Why can I see trouble brewing?_ Mew2 held a hand out to the woman. "Come here for a battle?" 

"Yes." She smiled. "My name is Kristy." She shook his hand. 

"You look familiar." Mew2 looked at her out of the corner of his eye. 

She giggled a bit. "My father and mother are Gary and Misty Oak." 

_My god they spawned._ He straightened up. "I can already tell that you take after your mother." 

"Yeah, everyone says that." She kneeled and started scratching Rocky's chin. "And what's your name?" 

"Uh, Rocky Two Miss Kristy." 

"Aren't you cute?" She scratched behind his ears. 

Rocky collapsed comically and rested his head in her lap. "I love you." 

"Rocky," Mew2 bent over and picked him up. "I'm sorry." 

"It's okay." Kristy stood up and kissed Rocky on the nose. 

Rocky Two put his little hands over his nose and blushed. 

"Go play with your cousins." Mew2 put Rocky down. 

Rocky fell flat back on his butt with both huge feet sticking up. "Okay Grandpa…" 

"Awww..." Kristy cooed. "Okay, so where so we battle?" 

"Uh, follow me."   
  
******  
  
"So Kristy Oak got a rose badge?" Sabrina said while reading the gold plate on the door. "I really need to make it out here more often," 

_You have to for the party I'm having next weekend._

"Yeah." Sabrina stepped in to the main hall and looked around. "Where did Bill go?" 

_I think my girls took off with him. Either way, he's doing something that makes him happy._

"Where's L2's kid?" 

_Trust me, he'll find us._

"How do you…” 

"Aunt Sabrina!!" 

_I rest my case._

"No one told me you were coming!" 

Mew2 went into the kitchen, took down the jar, got a piece of candy and gave it to Rocky.   
Rocky sucked on it for a bit, then his eyes opened big and round. "Thank you grandpa, no one has ever given me Rare Candy before! Why are you angry? Is it something I did?" 

“Just... Go play." 

"Okay! Thank you!!" 

Sabrina giggled at Mew2's frustration. "I'm sure it was a mistake." 

_You bet it was. He's a handful as is._

Sabrina watched Rocky play with the triplets. "He's going to be huge Two." 

_But he's smaller than everyone else._

"Look at his feet, see how big they are?" 

_That's just cause he's a guy._

"L2's feet weren't even that big. I'm telling you, he's going to be huge." 

_We'll see what happens._ He smiled as Esper came toward him. 

"Now woman! Come all up in here and don even tell me you be here!" Esper embraced Sabrina. 

_How are the girls?_ Mew2 asked. 

"Dey be fine. Darla wants you to start training soon." Esper nudged him. 

_How's the babies?_ He stroked her stomach. 

Sabrina smiled warmly. "You two expecting again?" 

Mew2 nodded. 

"Well, I hope this one goes a bit better than the last. Candy's expecting too." 

_Yes. Strange how they both seem to get pregnant at the same time._

Sabrina nodded. "Come on Esper. Let’s go get some coffee or something." 

_I'll start their training session in a bit. Rocky Two too._

"You train him too?" Esper smirked. 

_He needs to burn off that extra energy somehow._ Mew2 nudged Esper. 

"I swear chap, I need a camera every time I'm here." Bill came in the room being tailed by three little Mewtwo’s. "This place and your children are amazing!" 

Esper rested her head on Mew2's shoulder. _I'm tired._

_Then go get a nap.  
_

_I don't like sleeping without you. Bad dreams. Maybe some coffee would help._ She sent a telepathic shiver up his spine. 

_Later Island Girl, we have company.  
_

_You know where I be,_ She pulled away, then followed Sabrina's scent into the kitchen. 

"What was that all about?" Bill asked. 

Mew2 smiled sheepishly. 

“Oh… Oh! Never mind." 

Esper chuckled. "Make sure dat Rocky and Darla don kill each other now!"   
  
******   
  
Rocky Two liked grandpa's place. Every last little corner and tunnel invited exploration and mystery. So far he had found several secret passages and was in the middle of exploring one right now. The wall fell away revealing a little hallway dimly lighted in red/orange lights. Years of grime and grit had built up on the floor and his feet made prints in the dust. The hall had a strange musty scent, almost like stale seawater. It was obvious nobody had been in these halls for so long. He doubted that even grandpa knew it was there. 

He turned in to a huge room with some sort of strange machine in the center of it strange tubes, computers lined the walls and the floor was covered with broken glass. _What is this place?_ He went poking around and came to a huge broken tube that smelled familiar. _Grandpa?_ The room grew suddenly cold. He knew this feeling. Usually it was because of a Haunter, or Gastly, but as far as he knew, Grandpa didn't have one. "Hello?" He turned around and saw a group of people standing by the door, all looking at him. "uh hi?" One by one they vanished. "Oh no...." He looked at the tube again. It was fully put together and was filled with an amber liquid. All the tubes had amber liquid. 

Rocky remembered a trip to Pokemon Tower as a class trip. He had always been sensitive to ghosts, and this was no exception. He knew ghosts when he saw them, and here they all were. All these humans in white lab coats all around him, faceless, but still going about their business.   
Rocky saw that they had left the door and took off for the nearest exit. This would be something he kept to himself. 

It was really sad that he would have to go home soon, back to boring old Hop Hop Hop town. It wasn't like here. Here he could do whatever he wanted, and there was a never-ending flow of new faces--and pretty girls. Not that his cousins weren't pretty, but human girls could scratch behind his ears and talked softly--like his mom. He did miss his mother, she was always so nice and didn't care how much he talked. 

He pulled himself up through a small crevice and then stepped in to the hall leading to the docks. 

"Hello?" A voice drifted down the hall. "Mew2?" 

_Who's that?_ Rocky ran up the hall/cave. 

"Hello?" 

Rocky stopped and looked up the hall. _Who is she?_

Cassidy navigated her way up the dark hall. "Why doesn't he keep a few lights around here?" 

Rocky floated silently behind her, taking in every aspect, from her shoes to her hair, to her voice. 

"What is following me?" Cassidy snapped around. Rocky ducked behind a column of rock before she could locate him. "Whatever you are come out," She warned. 

_This is fun!_ Rocky giggled. 

Cassidy held her breath at hearing an almost creepy giggle echo in the dark hall. She knew for a fact that this damn place was haunted. Everyone knew maybe except for Mew2 himself. For all she knew that giggle could have come from the ghost of Ai. "Alright, whatever it is, not my fault if it's dead. Go Charmander!" 

Rocky backed up against a wall. A real battle! But his grandpa only taught him a few defensive maneuvers, Barrier and run. _I can't let it find me, I can't..._ His skin began to tingle. _Hey, that tickles..._

Cassidy watched her Charmander peek its head around a corner and sniff around a stalagmite. It started growling. "What have you found? A Zubat?" She walked over to it. 

"Grrrrrrrr....." 

Cassidy leaned over Charmander's shoulder. "You idiot! there's nothing here! Come on, we're wasting time! Charmander! Return!" Cassidy decided that she would take her chances with Ai's ghost. 

_How could she not see me? The charmander was right in my face… How did she not see me?_ He put his hand on the stalagmite. _Huh? My hand! Where is it? I can feel the rock but..._ He looked down at his feet, then at his tail. _Wow!! I'm invisible!_ He crawled out of the spot and continued up the trail. _Nah nah! Can't see me!_

Cassidy ignored the watched feeling and continued until she came to the balcony, then the double doors. She pushed one open then stepped inside. "Mew2!!" 

“Well, well now. Dis is a surprise." 

Cassidy gaze ran across the polished floor. "Oh, Esper. How have you been?" 

"Now what brings you here?" Esper folded her arms. 

"Only a business matter. I've come to speak with Mew2." 

"Anyding you can say to him, you can say to me." Esper sniffed the air. "You brought no one with you, you have Pokémon, only three. Charmander, Venomoth, and..." Another sniff. "Ah, Ditto. Keep dat one away from my husband." 

"Your skills have sharpened considerably since you left." 

"You don know the half of it." Esper's ears perked. "Ana, go get your father." 

"Man," Ana came from around a column. "Can't sneak up on you can I?" She looked across the hall. "Nice to meet you Miss Cassidy!" 

Cassidy nodded, then watched Ana bounce off. "One of the infamous Mew2 triplets I take it? I'd like to meet the other two." 

Esper remained silent. 

"I don't intend to take any of your kin. If a 'Two wants to be a Rocket, they'll have to come to me. Team Rocket has always been the best, and always will be. Your family is off-limits to Team Rocket. However Rocket Dan is another story." 

Esper thought it over for a moment. "Dank you for understanding." 

"Mom!" Amber came bouncing up. "Dad said for Miss Cassidy to come up stairs!" 

"Show her da way." 

"Yes mom!" 

Cassidy smiled. "Another?" 

"You have met Rocky Two I take it?" 

“No..." 

"He's in da room." 

Cassidy looked around. "I think for once your senses have failed you." She followed Amber upstairs. 

"R2." Esper called. "I can feel and smell you, come out." 

"I am out!" Rocky giggled. "I learned something really neat and really fun! I can go invisible! 

"Invisible?" 

"Yeah, can't you see me now?" Rocky covered his mouth. “Sorry... I forgot." 

"It be fine." 

"No, I mean I really am sorry, I really shouldn't have said anything, Dad said that I really need to watch what I say and…” 

"Rocky..." 

"Oh sorry." Rocky stopped. "Hey Grandma," 

"Yes?" Esper felt her patience getting thin. 

"I'm going to be the absolute best!"   
  
******   
  
"Twooooo..." Esper cozied up to Mew2. 

"What do you want now?" Mew2 threw his book down in exasperation. He rolled his eyes. As with her first pregnancy, her cravings were sending him all over hell and creation. 

"I've been having a craving for...Pinkan berries." 

"Pinkan berries? Again??" 

Esper nodded. 

"Now?" Maybe he could get out of it. 

Another nod. 

Mew2 sighed dejectedly and stood up. "I'll be back in a few hours." 

"Okay." She kissed his nose. "What would I ever do without you?" 

Mew2 pulled her closer. "I don't know." He kissed her nose, then held her for a moment. They softly left each other's arms and Mew2 floated downstairs. Once he hit the ground he started grumbling. He stopped once by the door and picked his now worn backpack. The threads bearing his name was still there, and he ran his thumb over it in remembrance of when Sabrina and Bill had first given it to him. He took a few mesh bags out of the kitchen and then slung the backpack over one shoulder. _I'll take those books out when I get back..._

"Grandpa!" 

_Lord have mercy!_

"Geez! Where ya goin? huh?" Rocky bounced up. "Are you going to say hi to Dad? Tell him I feeling okay…” 

"I'm going on an errand for Grandma Esper." 

"Oh! That's okay too, I'm playing with Darla, she says that we should practice fighting all the time, and that's okay for me… Hey! Bring me back something please!" 

"I'll try." Thoughts of Rocky Tow turning pink from pinkan berries crossed his mind. 

"Yeah!" Rocky bounced away. 

_Thank god he's gone..._

Mew2 pushed open the double doors, then took to the sky. After a half hour of high-speed high altitude flying, he felt each mental gear cycle down until he landed on Pinkan Island. He could understand why Mew darted around the way he did. After going that fast, walking felt so damn slow. He took off his backpack and opened it. A pair of eyes looked back. "Amber!" 

"Hi Dad." She yawned. 

"What are you doing here? Do you realize that you could have been hurt?" He pulled her out and kissed her forehead. "What would I have done if you had been hurt while I was flying so fast?" 

"Well, Darla and Rocky were playing, Ana's reading, I was bored. I wanted to come with you." She jumped out of his arms and settled down on the ground. 

Mew2 smiled and observed his lemon-yellow offspring. He felt such a sense of overwhelming love and pride when he saw them. Sure L2 was his son, but these were his _kids_. For all intents and purposes made by him, and his significant other. They would never know what a cloning tank felt like, they would never know what it was like to be all alone, they would always have each other. 

Amber reached up and picked a piece of fruit. "I like Pinkan berries." 

"Don't eat too many, or I'll have trouble telling you and Ana apart." 

"Okay." She helped him pick berries until the bags they had brought were full. "Is that enough?" 

"Probably not." He remembered the last bout with the Pinkan berries. Esper had those things finished in two hours. Mew2 looked up and laughed. "Amber! I told you, don't eat so many!" 

"What?" She blinked her dark amber eyes, then looked at her skin and giggled. "I'm Pink!" 

"And I'm Pur--" He froze. "--ple." 

"Dad?" Amber looked at her father, his smile had suddenly melted an his face became blank. "Dad...." 

_Why didn't I see it before? My daughters, those other Mewtwo’s from so long ago..._ Sitting in the dark room in Team Rocket Labs came back to him, the light, all those faces. _Is that what they meant? They became a part of me only to be reborn again?_

Amber let herself get picked up. Mew2 hugged her fiercely. "Uh dad....Are you okay?" 

"I'm fine Lemon Drop." He set her gently down. "Lets go." 

"Are we going home?" 

"Not yet. If I know your mother, she'll want grapefruit. So it's off we go to the Grapefruit Islands." 

"Okay Dad." Amber hopped on his back. "I love you Dad. We need to spend more time together like this." 

"That we do Lemon Drop."   
  
*******************************************   
  
Candy walked from the front door to the kitchen. _Maybe it was something I ate?_ She held her stomach, trying to ignore the pain inside. _Okay, I get it. No more coffee, no more anything...God this hurts..._

Laura looked up from her report as Candy walked up the hall. "Hey Candy, are you okay?" 

"Yeah." Candy offered a half smile. "L2's new kids are being a bit more active than usual." 

"Heh. Did you try sitting in the hot-tub?" 

"I just got out, didn't help." 

"Try laying down." 

"Yeah, maybe a nap would work. Can you look after Mewa for me?" 

"Sure, hey if you need me to, I'll call L2." 

"No, don't disturb him. He's been trying for a while to get that band. I'll be fine." _Owww…_

"Okay." Laura looked up nervously, then went back to her work. 

Candy slowly walked up the hall, leaning on the wall for support. She cried out as a sharp pain ripped through her. "Laura!!" 

Laura ran into the hall, Candy was laying on the floor holding her stomach. 

"C-Call L2… I need to get to the center!" 

"Okay, ahead of ya," Laura hit the digits and L2 picked up. Less than a minute later, he teleported into the hall. 

"Candy?" He knelt down beside her, then picked her head up. 

_L2, it hurts, something wrong… It's not supposed to be this way! I think something might be wrong with the babies!_

"Shhh..." He tried to soothe her. "I'll get you to the Center. You'll be okay," 

_I'm not worried about me!_ She felt him take her into his arms. Good god, five months pregnant and he could still pick her up. Candy felt the way their bodies seemed to vanish in air as the teleported. She looked up in time to see his concerned expression, then Nurse Joy's voice came to her ears. Another stab went through her, and she fainted.   
  
******   
  
Mew2 meandered into his vid room and answered his ringing phone. Esper was in the other room munching her grapefruit and Pinkan Berries, hell, he had a bit of a pink tint from a few he had scarfed down. The center screen came on showing L2's head and shoulders. "What's wrong? You look like you've been crying." 

L2 sniffled once, then started talking. "Dad, would you mind taking care of Mewa for a few days, just till the party?" 

"No, I don't mind. What happened?" 

L2 sniffled again, it seemed like he was trying to hold back an avalanche of tears. “C... Candy miscarried." 

Mew2 sank back into his chair. Shock and sadness washed over him. 

"She had twins, again, but we lost one. The other is fine though, she only miscarried one." 

“Is… she… okay?" 

"Candy's out right now, she was hysterical earlier." L2 wiped his eyes. "How do you handle something like this?" 

“I... I don't know." 

"I also want to warn you. Up until now, Esper and Candy's pregnancies seem to have been synchronized. One gets sick, the other gets sick, etc. Since Candy lost one," 

"Esper might as well." The fear settled in. 

L2 looked over his shoulder. "I gotta go. Candy's coming out of it." 

"Okay, I'll be expecting Mewa soon." 

"She should be in the hall right now.”

"Okay, I'll talk to you later," 

"Bye," 

"Bye." Mew2 turned the screens off. Outside a storm brewed in the distance. He rested his head in his hands letting it all sink in. _Esper needs to know, but I don't want to worry her. This can be a delicate time…_ After a moment he went back into their room. "Esper?" 

Her ears perked. "You're troubled why?" 

"Are you feeling okay? Are the babies?" 

"Yes, why?" 

He sat down on the bed with her. "Nothing." 

Esper felt a bit of worry set in. If it was nothing, he wouldn't lay his head in her lap. He only did that if something was really troubling him. She ran her fingers along his ears and over the curve of his skull. "Now husband, tell me what the trouble be." 

Mew2 gave in to her soothing caresses. "Candy miscarried today. I don't want the same to happen to you." 

"Husband, what happens will happen. You can't stop fate." 

"But I'll do my damnedest to change it."   
  
******   
  
Mew2 looked over his guests. The ultimate in Pokémon experts, trainers, masters, and gym leaders. Theses get-togethers were a chance to spread gossip and battle. Winding giggling and playing around all the guests were the triplets and Rocky Two, with Mewa following closely behind. When L2 arrived with candy that night, Mew2 silently embraced her. It was his way of dealing with the potential pain and helped to soothe her spirit. L2 and company provided music, as well as a bit of life to the party, and despite the earlier mishap, they were all having fun. 

"SO it was like ker-pow! and then I ducked and kicked him, and spun around and hit him with my tail, an wow! So then I…” Rocky Two was talking to Gary Oak who was listening intently. "Wow, you really are a good listener, I mean nobody has ever listened this long before and…” 

"I think it's really interesting. Hey! Since you like to battle, do you want to?" 

"Oh wow! I really like to fight and…” 

"R2." Mew2 came up behind his grandson. 

"Aww, come on! I can do it!" 

"Don't worry Mew2." Gary stood up. "I'll go easy on him." 

"Umbre!" 

"Lets go!" Rocky grabbed his hand. 

_Umbreon._ Mew2 sent. 

“Um?”

_Hurt my grandson and Gary gets it._

_Don't worry!_

"Cool cool cool! I get to fight other real Pokemon!" 

L2 came over with Candy. "What are you guys getting worked up for?" 

"Dad! I get to battle!" 

"Oh no you're not." L2's gaze darted between Rocky, Gary, his father, Candy, (who was pissed as hell) and back at his son. 

"Pleeeeeze Dad...." 

L2 looked in his big red eyes. "Dad, are you training him?" 

"I'll just be prompting him." 

"Then I'm coming with you." 

Rocky turned around. "Dad, you're going to watch me fight?" 

"Yes, of course little guy." 

Mew2, Rocky Two, L2, and Gary took their places on the field. Mew2 lit a cigarette, L2 did likewise.

 _When did you start smoking again?_

_The MOMENT Rocky leaned how to talk._

"Hey Rocky! I'll battle as much as you can take!" Gary shouted. 

"It's R2!" Rocky started floating. 

"Umbreon, quick attack! But go easy on him!" 

"R2, agility!” 

"R2, metronome!" 

Rocky looked over his shoulder. "I can't take orders from both of you!" 

Mew2 looked at L2. "We take turns, me first. R2, agility!" 

Rocky hopped aside just as Umbreon came close. 

“Tail whip!" L2 shouted. 

“Wow..." Gary said as Umbreon went rolling. "Come on Umbreon! I guess we can go a little harder on him!" 

"Umbre!" 

"Umbreon! Shadow Ball!" 

"Uuuuummmmmmmbbbbbbbbbb!" 

Rocky raised a barrier, but shouted out as a the dark orb slammed into the barrier. 

L2 almost ran on to the field. "Rocky! Are you alright?" 

"Yeah! I'm fine Dad!" 

L2 thought for a moment. "R2, metronome!" 

Rocky waved his fingers, then his tail, then bent down on all fours. 

_Oh no, my gym floor...._

"Metronome!" 

Energy seemed to pour from every corner of the gym floor, then converged and slammed in to Umbreon. Umbreon staggered and fainted. 

"Umbreon!" 

Mew2 looked at L2 in shock. " _THAT'S_ what he does to his sister??" 

"Uh, yeah." 

Gary blinked, then shouted. "Umbreon! Return! Go Scizor!" 

"Goody...." Rocky stood up. "I can do it Dad! R2, return! Go Pyro!" Rocky hopped back to the trainers box. 

"Can he…” Mew2 teleported the rulebook into his hand, then flipped through. "It's legal, unusual but legal." 

"Pyro! Firespin!" 

"Oh no!" Gary watched the attack play on Scizor. The Pokémon fainted. "Scizor, return!" 

"Py-ro return, go R2!" Rocky hopped back on to the field, Py-ro settled on his tower, then bugled to the other charizard. 

Mew2 took a drag off his cigarette, L2 did likewise, _Do you think he needs us?_

_No._

"Charizard, flame thrower!" 

Rocky made a barrier to block the attack, it went right over his head literally. Mew2 snapped up just in time to make a barrier to protect himself and L2. 

"Rrrrroooorr!" 

"Yeah he is small, I understand." Gary looked at Rocky Two. "Charizard, stomp!" 

"Agility!" Rocky ran around. "Metronome!" Another boom, another Pokémon down. 

Gary paused and looked at his remaining Poké-Balls. 

_Looks like he's thinking, this could take awhile...._

"Are ya done Gary? Huh? Ya done?" Rocky hopped playfully around and asked. 

_Dad, what level is Rocky?  
_

_You know, I never bothered to check...._ Mew2 looked at Rocky, then took a step back. 

_What?  
_

_He's 52._

Dodrio fell. 

_53.  
_

_How?_ L2 looked at his son having the time of his life on the gym floor. 

Gary raised one ball. "Last one!" 

"But you'll have one more left!" 

"Yeah, but it's not mine." Gary threw the last ball. “GO! Blastoise!" 

“Hydro-Pump!" 

"Vanishing." Rocky simply disappeared. 

"WHAT??" Mew2 looked around. 

"R2!" L2 called. 

"Blast?" Blastoise looked around the ring. "Blastoise blast." 

"Did he teleport out of the ring?" Gary looked around as well. 

"Nope!" The ring echoed with a light-hearted giggle. Somewhere inside Cassidy heard the giggle and shivered. 

L2 stepped into the box. "Rocky Two! This isn't a game! Come out this instant!" 

"He is still on the field." Esper walked up behind them. 

“How…” 

"I can smell him der, can you not see him?" 

"No, it's like he’s... invisible." Mew2 yanked on L2's arm. "Hey uh L2. Did you know that your kid can go invisible?" 

“Uh... no." 

"Blastoise?" The Pokémon shrugged and started tapping his foot. 

"Mega punch!" 

Blastoise was caught off guard and went sliding. 

"Gah! Blastoise! Bubblebeam!" 

"Ultima tackle!" 

"Blast!" 

Rocky suddenly became visible behind him. "Mega punch!" 

"Blastoise!" Blastoise turned and water-gunned him. 

Rocky shook it off, then became invisible again. "Ultima Tackle!" He appeared again just as his elbow hit Blastoise in the face. Blastoise fell backward, then flipped over in a faint. 

"I lost...." Gary fell to the ground. "Me, a member of the Elite Four… Beaten by an eight-year-old Mewtwo?" 

_Hey Dad, he's goin' down._

Mew2 smiled as Gary keeled over in a dead faint. "I got dibs!!" 

"Nu-uh! Grandpa! I beat him fair and square!" Rocky bounced over to Gary. "Yeah! 5000 bucks!!" 

_I didn't know Gary carried that much cash on him..._

Rocky jumped into L2's arms. "See Dad! I told you I could do it!" 

"Yeah little guy." L2 looked at Mew2. _Dad, I want you to train him. Teach him everything you know.  
_

 _I intended to do that since the beginning._ Mew2 looked down as Darla tapped his leg. 

"How come you let him fight Dad? I can do better!" 

"That's because Rocky picks fights. Your strength is in your control. You're very special Darla." He picked her up. "All my kids are the best."   
  
******   
  
Rocky groaned as he set his bags down in his room. "Dad! Why did I have to come back? Why can't I just stay with grandpa?" 

"Grandpa has his own things to do. Besides, you don't want to leave me and your mother here all by ourselves would you?" 

"Of course not. That's what Mewa's for." Rocky put a little glass figurine of himself on a shelf. Mew2 had gotten it made on some Island for him. He had one of the whole family made. 

L2 picked it up. "Did you see the Crystal Onyx?" 

"Yep! He was nice!" Rocky plopped down on his bed/hammock. He looked at his huge feet, then sighed. "Dad, will I ever get any taller?" 

"Rocky," L2 sat down next to him. "You're still little, you have your whole life to get taller." 

"Everyone teases me. They call me big foot." 

"Well, just remember that those big feet'll hurt if you hit them." L2 kissed Rocky's head. "I don't care how big your feet are. I still love you." 

Rocky sighed. "Do I have to go to school tomorrow?" 

"Unless your class is planning another trip to Pokemon Tower, Yes." L2 pulled back the covers on the bed. "Now it's time for you to get some sleep." 

"Would help If I said that I'm not tired?" 

"Not much." L2 helped him get comfy, then kissed his head again. "Good night." 

"Good night." Rocky watched his father slide gracefully out of the room. The tip of his dark blue tail left his view, and he was greeted by the plain white of the hall wall. He saw Jessi's shadow fall across it, then his mother came into the room. 

"Looks like you had a very active week." She kissed his head. Rocky sensed a change in her. She wasn't as happy as she had been, her stomach was even a little smaller. 

"Mom, are you okay?" 

Candy paused for a moment. "Yes, I'm fine. I was a little sick earlier but now I'm fine." 

"Okay." Rocky reached up and stroked her stomach. "I can't wait to meet my new little sister." 

Candy smiled and tucked him in. "If it makes you feel any better. She can't wait to meet you. But who told you it would be a girl?" 

"She did." Rocky smiled. 

Candy paused. “Uh-huh..." 

Rocky rolled over and sighed contently. "I love you Mom." 

"Love you too hon." She stood up and shut the door, closing the room in darkness. Rocky liked to use this time to let his mind wander. Sometimes if he concentrated hard enough he might know what would happen tomorrow. He closed his eyes, and let his mind drift. He saw Yellow and Black. A little sharp sting. _A Beedrill… somebody will bring a Beedrill to school tomorrow. Wow, I want to see it._ He saw his father. His father always came in clear. He didn't like the worried expression on his father's face. _I hope everything will be okay tomorrow…_   
_...."."_   
Rocky smiled. _Hello Roxy!_ He liked hearing from his unborn sister.   
_!_   
_How was your day?  
...!....!   
Yeah, mine had a lot of ups and downs too.   
.....?   
Well, I won a few battles,   
&?   
Grandpa is really nice! You'll love him!   
...?*   
Mewa is doing okay, she's a little angry that She didn't go to Grandpa's place with me.   
.......   
Where is your brother?   
......~   
I see. I really wanted a brother, but I guess you'll be fun to play with too.   
....."." &*   
Me and Mewa,   
/...*) & #   
But no you and Shazer....I'll be your brother!   
"." & *) ?   
Yep! Except it'll be all of us! Just like the triplets!   
"." & * & *)?   
Uh huh!   
!!   
Yeah, I'm excited too. Good night Roxy!   
~~..."."_

Rocky curled up in his blankets, and went to sleep a little earlier than he expected.   
  
********************************* _  
  
School was school. He was shorter than even his sister, and very much smaller than all the human kids there. For the most part, the humans didn't care about their class mates. They had known Rocky and Mewa since they could remember. And the fact that L2 was their dad, well,_ that made a few more kids be nicer than they expected. Mewa was always on time with her work, but Rocky was a bit of a procrastinator. If he did something that he had learned but the rest of the class hadn't, then he would just not to the rest of the assignments pertaining to the lesson. Instead he spent his time drawing or reading. He liked to read, everyone in his family did. Even at Grandpa's house, they had time set aside for reading, for three or four hours a day, they would read and then discuss what they read. The morning classes went by quickly, then it was time for the morning recess. 

As usual there were a few dozen kids on the swings, a few more on the jungle gym, and a little cluster in one corner of the playground. It seemed as if a Caterpie had roamed into the playground and now kids were trying to capture it or poke at it with a few sticks. 

"Hey Rocky, I'm going to go over there and see if I can stop those kids." Mewa started hopping. 

"Hey! Dad told me to look after you!" Rocky started in behind her. 

They stopped at where the kids were poking at the Caterpie and tried to shoo them away. Mewa was doing her best to be nice about the whole situation, but when Rocky came forward, they all backed away. They had heard him bragging this morning about how he had defeated a member of the Elite Four over his vacation, and they didn't want to test his wrath. Mewa kneeled and picked up the Caterpie and looked it over. “Hmm... He just seems to be shaken." She put him in a tree. "Here ya go little guy." 

"Reee?" The caterpie gratefully crawled up the tree. 

Mewa smiled then hopped back over to Rocky and the other kids. 

"Whoa," 

"Look at that!" 

Mewa turned around as a few older kids stood gawking at her on the other side of the fence. "Go away!" 

"A Mewtwo!" 

"I don't see a trainer anywhere." One pulled a few Poké-Balls from his pocket. "I've been wanting one for a long time, and it looks as if I'm in luck." 

"Hey!" Rocky stepped in front of her. "Leave my sister alone!" 

"Two of em." Another one of the boys took his poké-Balls out. "I'll keep the short one busy, you get the purple one." 

Mewa looked at Rocky ready a fighting stance. "Rocky, come on, we should just run." She whispered. 

"I won't let these humans walk all over us like we are just animals!" He hissed back at her. 

"Go Flareon!" 

"Mewa run!" Rocky let fly with metronome. Mewa took off over the field. A few of the other kids gasped and stepped out of the way as one of the trainers jumped the fence and took off after her. "No! Mewa!" 

Mewa screamed and ran faster. The trainer was gaining on her. 

Rocky took off after them. 

"Go Muk! Toxic!" 

Rocky fell to the ground as the poisoned acid hit his body. "Ah!" 

"Muk, return!" 

Mewa looked over her shoulder. The trainer threw out a beedrill. "Beedrill, poison sting!" She screamed and ran faster. 

Rocky struggled to his feet. 

Mewa tripped, then felt the ground bite into her face. The teachers on duty were shouting and running over to her. 

“Beee…” 

Rocky suddenly came into her field of vision. She heard a yelp of pain come from him, then he hit the ground with the beedrill. 

"Beedrill! Return!" The would-be captors took off running for the nearest fence. Mewa saw the beedrill just before he was sucked in to the ball. One of his stingers had broken off. 

"Rocky?" She stood up and went to her fallen brother's side. He was crying and holding his foot. The broken off stinger was resting deeply under the skin. "Rocky! Are you okay? Rocky!" 

Rocky Two just held his foot, trying to fight back the immense amount of poison moving through his body, stinging his veins. A teacher came over, then immediately screamed for another to call the Pokemon Center. 

Within a hour he was laying on an operating table at the center with his father looking down at him with a worried expression. The antidote had fought off most of the poison, but there was still the matter of his foot. 

"L2, I'm going to put him on a local anesthetic called Zybronal, it also contains a sedative. That should stop any pain and prevent him from moving." Nurse Joy held up a syringe. 

"Okay." L2 held Rocky's head. He got down on eye level and helped Nurse Joy flip Rocky over on his stomach. "You're just going to feel a little sting, then you'll be fine okay?" 

"I didn't want to make you worry Dad. I'm sorry." Rocky moaned. 

"You did very well today. You stopped those men from getting Mewa, you saved her life." L2 wiped away a tear trying to make it down his face. 

"But I made you worry." Rocky winced at the little sting. 

L2 stood up and watched as Nurse Joy carefully removed the stinger and held a cloth up to his foot. He couldn't cry here. Rocky was depending on him to be strong, to be there for him. He had to remain calm and collected. But it was hard to when his son's foot had been spilt open by some asshole trainer trying to get his hands on Mewa. 

Rocky let out a little whimper as his vision began to go grey, his head started hurting. "Dad..." 

“Shhh... She'll be done in a minute." 

"Dad." His head was hurting even more, and it seemed that his heart wasn't beating as hard anymore. "Dad." 

"Just a few more minutes Rocky." 

Thump… Thump… 

"Dad..." It was like being underwater for too long, he couldn't breathe, but instead his heart was beating slowly. 

L2 watched as Nurse Joy finished the last stitch. "How long does he have to keep the stitches in, how long until he can walk again?" 

"Give it a few weeks, bring him back in about three, and I'll take a look at him. How is he?" 

"He's out." 

"Out? He wasn't suppo…” 

L2 hurriedly picked him up. “Rock…” Rocky Two's head rolled back limply. L2 froze. Panic, fear, and shock overcame him at one time. 

Before he could react, Nurse Joy yanked Rocky's body out of his arms and put him down on the table. L2 moved in slow motion as she began CPR. "It wasn't supposed to do this…" She pushed on his chest. "It's the mildest thing we have…" 

L2 backed up against the door. 

"Hand me that plastic box over there!" 

L2 levitated it over to her. 

Joy ripped it open and yanked a syringe out. She tapped out the air bubbles, then injected Rocky with it. "Come on Rocky…" 

_He was trying to get my attention, he was trying to get my attention, I ignored him… I could have prevented this…_ L2 covered his mouth with his hand. He couldn't move, he was frozen to the spot. _Oh god it's all my fault!_

"Stop panicking and hold his head for me." Joy resumed CPR. 

L2 walked slowly over and held Rocky's head. His red eyes slowly opened. "Joy, I think…” 

"Quickly, pick him up!" Joy helped him get Rocky upright. Rocky moaned then rested his head on L2's shoulder. "I'll be back in a minute." 

"Okay," L2 looked at Rocky's red eyes and then couldn't hold it. He cried softly. 

"I'm sorry Dad." 

L2 found himself repeating the same thing his own father had told him so long ago. "It's not your fault, it's not your fault."   
  
******  
  
Mew2 stood holding Zanth. The newest member of the Mew2 clan. Esper was resting. The birth had been painful both physically and emotionally. Zanth survived, the other did not. _Why? Why didn't he survive? He was healthy, but now… How?_

Zanth gave a little squeal. Mew2 wrapped him in a blanket and set him in his hammock/crib.

One by one the triplets came into the room and stopped by Zanth's crib. Amber giggled and stroked his chin. "He's so cute Dad." 

"Yeah, he is." Mew2 hugged all three at once. "I'm keeping all of you in charge of him for a bit. remember, don't pick him up yet. I'll give all of you a chance to hold him later." 

"Okay." Ana watched him walk silently to his room. They all knew what had happened, and to some level were affected by it. But life went on.   
  
"Rai?"   
  
"Come on in." Darla looked over at the Raichu at the door. "See our little brother?" 

"Rai-chu?" Rai-zy made a face at Zanth, who giggled. 

"Hey, this is weird." Amber looked at a bit of reddish fuzz on Zanth's head. "Why does he have hair??"   
  
Mew2 wrapped Esper in his arms. Neither said a word for a long time. After what felt like an hour of silence, Esper spoke up. "Brock said he found out what was wrong." 

Mew2 sat silent for a moment. "Yes, what?" 

"His lungs were not fully developed. That is why he…” 

Mew2 held her tighter and closer, both for her sake, and his. "L2 said that Roxy was born this morning." 

"Good. A little girl?" 

"Yes." 

"So what do we do now?" 

Mew2 held her and kissed her forehead, then let his lips rest over hers. _We continue on._


End file.
